Epilogue
by Griffinkhan
Summary: History is a web, each thread of action leading to the next... and the weave seldom comes out neatly. Time's path becomes more tangled when a malfunction sends Rock into another century. Wrapping up the story is harder than you'd think. [MMC,MMX,MMZ,MML]
1. Another Working Day

_The following work is a joint project between Triad Orion and myself. It has been six months in the making, a long, but extremely fun process. The idea came to us not long after Triad introduced me to the Mega Man universe. It seemed to us both that Capcom had left a rather large number of plotholes in its canon. Being fanfiction authors, neither of us were content with this state of affairs and embarked on the epic task of fixing the Mega Man series, to give the poor characters some semblance of a happy ending. We decided that the best way of doing this was through time travel. And thus, this story was born. _

_We began the project with the intention of creating a video game, but soon our authorial instincts took over and now we face the daunting task of converting seven hundred pages of script into a full-fledged fanfic. But that being said, we have it all planned out — so sit back, keep your arms, legs, and other appendages inside the time machine, and enjoy the trip._

_And it must also be said that this is still completely, utterly, and absolutely Triad's fault._

_

* * *

_

EPILOGUE

_by Triad Orion and Griffinkhan_

_---_

CHAPTER ONE

_Another Working Day_

* * *

It was a warm spring morning, but neither the man nor the boy had any interest in that. The inside of the castle was a uniform sixty degrees, no matter the season, and the only reason the man ever had for looking outside was to plot new ways of taking that land over. 

The two stood in the deepest, darkest, most cobweb-ridden section of Skull Fortress, surveying a packed storeroom. It was an odd location for humans, but neither was really human at all. The man had long displaced his humanity with madness, rot eating away at his brain until all that was left was a brilliant intelligence and a mad hunger for power and revenge. He was a cunning old man, as wily as his name, shocks of grey hair sprouting from either side of his head in the epitome of a cliche mad scientist. He didn't mind, however... as he often said, those other mad scientists were simply poor imitations of himself.

As for the boy, he appeared to be about sixteen years of age, rubbing the bridge of his nose in bored manner as he suppressed a yawn. A polished black helmet, tapering into yellow fin-like protrusions, fit closely to his head. Two long, angry purple streaks ran from the base of his cheeks beneath the chin-guard of his helmet to end in points below his eyes, giving him the look of a warrior. That description was accurate, for this was the ultimate of warriors—a machine created solely for battle, his only purpose to fight for his creator's vision. This was Bass, Dr. Wily's greatest achievement to date, and self-proclaimed strongest robot of the age. He wasn't quite at his most fearsome at the moment, however, as the glazed look in his eyes and slouching stance gave him more the aura of a jaded teenager than a ruthless battle robot.

"Man, you have a lot of junk in here, Doc," he observed, his voice reverberating around the filthy room. He stood impassively as Wily turned from the mangled remains of a mechaniloid he had been examining and glared.

"It is not 'junk', you ungrateful pile of scrap!" the scientist declared, moving on to another rusting robot. "Every piece of equipment you see here is an amazing technological achievement!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Bass replied, in a tone that said he rather thought differently. He followed as the scientist continued to dart along the narrow corridor between heaps of spare parts and broken machines. Most of it was worthless, melted and welded together by plasma fire. Nothing spiked the black robot's interest until he noticed the remains of an old robot master to the side. Halting, he peered at the thing's weapon with mild curiosity. "What's this?" he asked, reaching out to lay a hand on it.

Wily turned. "Don't touch that!" he said, but it was too late. Bass' fingers landed on the metal and a violent explosion rent the air. The robot master went flying, and Wily narrowly ducked to avoid being beheaded. When the dust settled, a good half of the storeroom had been effectively cleared away. Bass remained standing, arms folded, looking exquisitely nonchalant as dust settled over his armor.

"Wow, I didn't know Lead Bubbles could even _do_ that..." he remarked, as Wily picked himself up and glared at his creation.

"You stupid..." Wily gave up, seeing that Bass was beyond hearing. He sighed. "Never mind. Just... keep quiet and help me search for other Robot Master types. And don't touch anything!"

Bass blinked. "But... how am I supposed to help if I..."

"Figure it out, bolts for brains!" Wily shouted, and marched off along the now much wider pathway, muttering curses in German.

"...Okay then," Bass said, grinning. If he couldn't touch...

There was a whining sound, and Wily whipped around. "Bass!" he yelled, as the ebony robot armed his buster gun and began shooting precise holes in the piles of junk, revealing more layers of robot parts beneath.

"Knock it off!" Wily said, dashing back towards his creation, his eyebrows furrowed in anger. "Grr... just..." He glared at the robot's smirk of self-satisfaction. "Just go play your video games or something," he said finally. Bass may be an perfect engine of destruction on the battlefield, but that very nature made him almost intolerable when stuck at the fortress. Wily had finally found him a video game console in order to give him something to entertain himself with besides systematically breaking his lab equipment.

"I can't," Bass reminded him. "You took apart my PlayStation to make that new robot master of yours. And then Mega Man blasted it to pieces."

Ah, yes. Not one of his brightest ideas, he had to admit. Not only had "Sony Man" been completely useless in defeating that blue insect, it had put him on the bad side of Bass, as well. Not that Wily really cared what his robots thought, but Bass had the ability to be very irritating when annoyed. As he was demonstrating at the moment.

"What about the X-Box?" Wily asked, searching for any excuse to get Bass away from him for a while. Simply ordering him would not work, Bass was a master of finding loopholes.

"Heck no!" Bass exclaimed, making a face. "I'm not playing games on anything that's more evil than I am, thanks."

Wily grunted noncommittally. "Fine, then. Go stand in a corner and look for something salvageable. No shooting, and no touching. If you see anything, tell me and then get out of my way!"

"Aww... fine," Bass sighed. He walked to the corner, sporting a very unflattering pout. Wily ignored him as he continued to search for parts. There were several minutes of blessed silence, save for the shifting of metal pieces and Wily's soft muttering as he examined them.

"Hmm... this looks like... Quick Man," he mumbled, pulling out a shattered helmet sporting a bright yellow boomerang. The head was still inside the helmet, though the body was in a pile across the way, and the control chip appeared to be intact. "I wonder if I can use anything from him..."

"Hey, Wily!" came a far too cheerful voice. Wily froze. "Check me out! I'm a Robot Master!"

Almost afraid to see what Bass had done now, the old scientist turned to find his greatest creation sporting a pair of large scissors on his head. Wily sighed, then growled, "Bass! I told you not to touch anything! How dare you disobey my orders?"

"Well, I'm not _technically_ touching them," Bass said, that damned smirk Wily so wished he hadn't designed back on his face, "since I'm wearing gloves..."

"...That's the last time I ever give a robot a sass-back protocol." Wily grumbled. Both master and robot knew very well there was no such thing, but Wily liked to complain. The truth was, Wily had no idea why Bass acted the way he did most of the time. It was very troubling. But so far, Bass had remained relatively loyal, despite everything, even staying with Wily after that fiasco with King. Several times, Wily had wondered if perhaps his creation had left him for good, but he'd always returned in the end. His love of destruction and mayhem overrode his rebellious attitude, it seemed, and kept him at the scientist's side.

"Hey, there's a button on this thing," Bass commented, running his hand along the blade. "I wonder what it does?"

Wily started. "BASS! Don't—"

"Whoops!" Bass said, not sounding at all apologetic, as he pressed the button and the Cut Blades launched from his head, hitting a pile of junk a short distance away. Parts showered down on Wily, as the scientist cowered in an attempt to protect himself from the falling objects.

"Now look at the mess you made!" Wily shouted, looking around at the debris-strewn floor. "Do you know how long it..." He paused suddenly, noticing an object on the ground. Bending down, he picked it up, turning it over in his hands. "That's... that's it!" he said, staring at the object with mounting maniacal glee.

Bass, interpreting the change in mood as anger, said nervously, "Uh... I didn't do it! I swear!"

"Be quiet, Bass," said Wily dismissively, still staring at the object. "I have a plan."

"...Does it involve you building eight new robot masters and getting defeated by that blueberry again?" Bass asked, trying to sound innocent and failing.

"...Shut up!" Wily growled, restraining the urge to chuck the object at his robot's head. It was far too important for that. "The reason Mega Man keeps winning is because he gets enough time to prepare his offensive. Time is the key, don't you see?"

"Um, no, not really," said Bass, folding his arms. "Indulge me then, Doc. What's your plan?"

"Even a moron like you should be able to deduce it, Bass," said Wily, rolling his eyes. "If Mega Man wins because he has time, we simply take away that advantage!"

"And how do you propose we _do_ that?"

"The answer lies before you!" Wily declared, holding up the object so the black-armored robot could get a clear view. "Long ago, I created the robot master Flash Man, don't you remember?"

"...I wasn't built yet, Doc," Bass reminded him.

"Incompetent robot... I installed you with a history chip for a reason, you know." He sighed, and shook his head. "Never mind! ...Flash Man had the ability to stop time for a short while. However, due to his relatively weak power source, he wasn't able to maintain it for long."

"...Stop time...?" said Bass, giving Wily a look like he was crazy. Which he was, of course. "Okay..."

"It was my mistake that I did not see the practical applications of the technology sooner," Wily said, beginning to pace as he held the part in his hands. "Though Flash Man was a failure, his technique could easily be adapted into a robot with a much greater potential... such as yourself. In your hands, time could be halted for as long as we wished!" He stopped, turning to his creation with a maniacal grin plastered on his face once more. "Don't you see, Bass? Before Mega Man even realizes what has happened, we will have taken over the world!"

"Or, I could stop time and just kill him while he's a sitting duck..." Bass said.

"Don't logic me, robot!" Wily griped, glaring at him. "Taking over the world takes precedence!"

Bass sighed, and began stalking towards the exit, as Wily remained holding the broken piece of Flash Man as though it were made of gold. "Fine. Just get to work on it, then. I'm gonna go steal me a new PlayStation."

"Yes! Get out of here!" Wily crowed, his voice reverberating around the room. "I must have space to do my work! This will be my greatest invention yet!"

"Everything's your greatest invention yet, Doc," Bass said, pausing to lean against the doorframe. "I was your greatest invention, that exploding toaster was your greatest invention..."

"Exploding toasters are cool!" Wily declared.

"...If you're a senile mad scientist..." Bass muttered, just loud enough for his creator to hear.

"Out! OUT!" the madman screamed, grabbing a random part and chucking it at Bass' head. It bounced harmlessly off his helmet. "And don't come back until I call for you!"

Bass rolled his eyes. "Fine. Bye." He slipped out the door, his boots pinging on the stone corridor for a time before fading away as he disappeared upstairs.

In the junk-strewn storeroom, Wily laughed.

-------

Several miles away, it was still a beautiful spring morning. The sunlight spilled through the windows of a small, neat house, causing the spotless interior to sparkle to an almost blinding intensity. Not a speck of dust floated in the sunbeams, testament to a housekeeper with either a passion for cleanliness or a serious case of OCD.

The quiet peace of the scene was disturbed by the pounding of feet on hardwood floor and the sounds of a scuffle. A cry rang through the house, "Rock!_ Get back here_!"

"No way!" came an answering voice. The boy named Rock, who looked to be about twelve or thirteen, burst into the living room. He was dressed casually in shorts and a T-shirt, his socked feet muffled by the carpeting. Blue eyes darted to all corners of the room as he skidded to a halt before the couch. The moment's glance was all he needed to realize he was cornered, as the only other exit was to the basement laboratory. Mentally berating himself, he ran a nervous hand through his black hair and quickly turned to close the door as a last attempt at deterring his pursuer. Unfortunately, he was too late. The furious girl in a red and white dress barreled through the doorway before he could reach the knob, a broom in one hand and a pair of very dirty sneakers dangling by their shoelaces from the other.

"I can't believe you got mud all over the kitchen floor!" she said, blue eyes narrowed in anger. Her blonde hair hung loose down her back, having been half-freed from its ponytail during the chase. She waved the shoes under Rock's nose. "And I just cleaned it, too!"

"I didn't mean to, Roll!" he defended, backing away as she advanced with a menacing gleam in her eyes and her broom at the ready. "And aren't you supposed to be the peaceful one?"

"Not when people mess up my nice, clean house!" Roll snapped. She continued advancing and Rock backed away again, only to slam into the back of the couch. He winced, trapped, and instinctively raised his arms to cover his face in preparation for the inevitable assault. But the smack of wood against synthflesh and metal limbs never came. Instead, there was a five-note whistle that echoed through the rooms of the house, followed immediately by a voice from the doorway.

"What's going on in here?"

The speaker leaned nonchalantly against the doorway, sunlight glinting off his dark sunglasses. His hair was the same shade of raven black as Rock's, though he was taller and his features had a more mature air, appearing to be around eighteen. He wore a maroon turtleneck sweater, long pants, and a canary yellow scarf despite the warm weather. He smirked upon seeing that the two feuding children had noticed his presence.

"Ah! Blues!" Rock exclaimed, using the distraction to push away from the couch and put some distance between himself and the broom. "Don't sneak up on us like that!"

Blues raised an eyebrow. "...I announced my presence very loudly. What more do you want?"

Rock rolled his eyes. "Maybe if you were around more often, it wouldn't be so startling when you do appear."

"Well, you'll just have to get over it, little brother." Blues attempted to grin evilly, and Rock snorted.

"Blues, Rock... don't fight," Roll interjected patiently. "I wouldn't want you to hurt each other, since I'm going to kill Rock by myself!"

"What'd you do this time, kid?" Blues asked, eyeing the broom in her hands.

"Nothing! I swear!"

"He tracked mud into the house!" Roll answered, glaring at Rock. "I've told him time and time again to take off his shoes before he comes inside, but does he listen!"

Rock gave Blues a pleading look, as Roll gripped the broom tighter. Blues folded his arms as though he were pondering the situation.

"Hmm..." he said, then shook his head. "Sorry, Rock. Can't help you. Roll, have fun."

"Hey! Blues!" Rock yelped, as Roll grinned and raised the broom.

"What is going on up here?"

All three turned as the door on the far end of the room opened, and a man emerged from the revealed staircase. He was in his early sixties, with a cloud of white hair and a fluffy beard that had gotten him the post of Santa at the local children's hospital for the past decade. A pair of reading glasses perched on the tip of his nose, and he reached up to pull them off, stowing them neatly in a pocket of his lab coat. The coat had once been white, but there were several brown oil stains decorating it now. Roll, spotting them, looked dismayed. This was Doctor Thomas Light, one of the world's most famous and brilliant roboticists, and the creator of Rock, Roll, and Blues.

"I could hear the ruckus all the way in my lab," the doctor continued, as he shut the door behind him. "I need _quiet_ when I'm working on X—" he paused, "—tra upgrades for Rock, I mean."

"Upgrades... right," said Blues, with just the slightest hint of skepticism. Neither of the other children reacted.

Dr. Light blinked, noticing the sunglasses-bedecked boy for the first time. "Oh! When did you come in, Blues?" he asked.

"For pity's sake, are you people deaf?" Blues sighed.

"He couldn't have heard you whistle all the way in the lab," Roll pointed out.

"It was a rhetorical question," Blues replied, looking disgruntled.

"Upgrades! Yay!" said Rock, bouncing in excitement. Both Dr. Light and Blues gave him an odd look, and he stopped, slightly sheepish.

"Anyway..." Dr. Light said with a sigh, looking at his daughter. "Roll, stop trying to kill your brother." She lowered the broom, disappointed. "Rock, stop doing whatever it is you did."

"Yes, Father," they said in unison.

"Thank you," he said, smiling. With the crisis averted and his role as the benevolent parent fulfilled, he turned back to the door to the basement lab. "Oh, and one of you go pick up some milk before lunch, please," he added over his shoulder as he started down the steps. "We're all out."

As soon as the door shut, Rock turned to his sister. "You do it, Roll."

"You do it, Rock," she shot back.

"You do it, Blues," Rock said, not to be outdone.

"Wow, look at the time!" Blues exclaimed, checking his nonexistent watch. "I'd better go." A moment later, he had vanished in a column of teleportation light.

"...Jerk," Roll said, shaking her head.

"He always does that..." Rock sighed.

Roll shook the broom at her brother. "Mega Man, you have to go get the milk," she said sternly. "I would... if I didn't have to clean up the mess _you_ made."

"Okay, fine," he said, deciding it wasn't worth the continued argument and possible application of the broom. "I'll be back in awhile." He took his sneakers from her grasp and headed out of the room.

"Remember to wipe your darn feet when you come back!" she called as he left.

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, and pulled open the front door to emerge into the bright sunlight of the morning.

-------

Rock slipped on his sneakers and headed out along the gravel driveway, whistling tunelessly. He could have just as easily teleported to the city, but it was a short walk and it was definitely a beautiful day. Birds called from the trees lining the drive and a squirrel darted across the lawn.

Times like these made Rock glad to be alive. The skies were blue, the land at peace, and even Wily had holed up for a while, recuperating from the losses of the King fiasco. Rock sighed as his thoughts wandered to the recent battle. It hadn't been nearly as damaging as the Robot Wars of the past, and it was interesting working alongside Bass again, but the whole thing had left him with a bitter taste. Bass had gone back to Wily, despite everything, and though Blues had come out of it all right, the injury he'd sustained had almost seemed to drive his brother further away. He really had been startled to see the elder robot this morning. It was his first time stopping by the lab since the conflict ended, several weeks ago.

Rock's good mood went down another notch as he thought of his mysterious brother. Proto Man, the media called him; the first sentient robot created by Doctor Light and Doctor Wily and the prototype for Rock's own design. Their similarities were very apparent. They possessed similar reflexes and abilities in battle, and though Blues had been created to look older than Rock, there was no mistaking the family resemblance. But their differences were also so great that Rock wondered if it would ever be possible to overcome them. Blues was a loner, a wanderer, a free spirit, beholden to neither man nor machine. But despite that, he never truly left, always appearing when Rock needed assistance. This, more than anything, confused the younger robot. It was obvious that Blues cared for his family, but why then did he continue to leave them behind? They had gotten closer over the years, but the divide still remained. Blues refused to come live at the laboratory, and he kept most details of his life secret.

Rock shook his head to clear it of those thoughts, determined to enjoy the morning. There was no point getting worked up over his brother. He'd always gone his own way and obviously intended to continue doing so. All Rock could do was trust Blues could take care of himself.

Rock turned left at the mailbox and stepped onto the shoulder of the two-lane road that stretched towards the city. He made good time as he walked, passing a few other houses. Dr. Light lived close enough to the city to be within easy walking distance, for a robot at least, but far enough away to feel secluded. The laboratory sat on five acres of land, complete with woods and a small brook. The doctor had moved to the area after the first war, and Rock liked the house very much. It was much nicer than the inner-city laboratory where he'd been built, and had plenty of room for himself, his sister, Dr. Light, and all the other minor robots and support units that made up their household to live comfortably, while staying out of the public eye.

A car passed, the driver not sparing a second glance for the small boy on the side of the road. Rock was sure the man would have taken more notice had he been wearing his blue battle armor, but in civilian clothing he was barely recognizable as the robot hero who had thwarted Wily's plans so many times. Rock was grateful for this. He was gawked at whenever he visited the city in uniform, and he liked the freedom regular clothing gave him. Of course, there were a few humans in the city who knew of his identity as Mega Man, but most never even noticed he was a robot unless he told them. Dr. Light's design skills were excellent and it was difficult to discern any distinction between Rock and a real human child. There were differences, of course; his skin was much paler and unblemished compared to a human's, there were thin scars on some parts of his body where he could peel back the synthflesh and metal casing of his limbs to reveal the machinery beneath, and close scrutiny revealed wires running through his eyes instead of blood vessels. But none of these were great enough to prevent him from walking incognito in public. His largest problem was convincing police officers and well-meaning adults that he was not lost and didn't need assistance getting home.

Rock headed up a hill, still whistling, as he approached the edge of town. There were still trees on both sides of the road but the skyline ahead was clear, with the top of a skyscraper just peeking over the crest of the hill. As he was about to reach the top, there was a rustling from above and a voice said, "That's my shtick, y'know."

Halting in mid-whistle, Rock looked up at the tree that stretched over the road and saw a face grinning through the branches. The yellow scarf dangled just above the smaller robot's head. Rock sighed, and tugged at the fabric until his brother slipped from the branch and landed gracefully on the pavement.

"If I were a robot master, you'd be dead, bro," Blues said, readjusting his sunglasses. "You walked right under me."

"I thought you had something to do?" Rock replied.

"Standing around is something."

"Right," Rock sighed. "Why don't _you_ go get the milk, then?" he challenged, as the other robot folded his arms and leaned against a mailbox.

Blues merely smirked. "Why should I? I'm the big brother. You're the one who needs to build character."

"I saved the world. Eight times!"

"Actually, it was more like eleven. Are your memory circuits malfunctioning, Rocky?"

Rock rolled his eyes. "You just love to be irritating, don't you?"

"I say it like I see it, bro." His sunglasses glinted in an amused fashion.

Rock shook his head and started walking again. Blues made no move to follow. Rock finally stopped a few yards away and turned to face his brother.

"Are you going to do _anything_ useful?"

"Nope." The smirk again.

"Thanks a bunch," Rock grumbled.

"You're welcome. Now go get the milk."

"Whatever," Rock sighed. "Have fun in the tree."

"Oh, I will."

Rock continued walking. As he crested the hill, he heard a five note whistle. Turning, he saw Blues had disappeared.

"He really must have something loose upstairs..." Rock said aloud, before shaking his head again and heading down the road into the city.

------

The city was medium-sized, large enough to have a good assortment of stores and office buildings but not large enough to have many tall skyscrapers, something Blues occasionally liked to complain about. The elder robot had an unnatural fondness for high places, which Rock had never understood. It was just another quirk to add to his already long and irritating list.

Rock moved briskly along the sidewalk, ignored by the taller human passerby. One disadvantage to being built as a preteen was that people tended to overlook you, both when you were walking someplace and when you were speaking to them. This made shopping in the city difficult, as not only did he have to avoid being knocked over by pedestrians, but he had to deal with strange looks from the store clerks.

Rock walked for a few blocks, then turned into the city's closest supermarket. He passed the shopping carts and headed to the dairy section at the back of the store. The long bank of refrigerators along the wall held a vast variety of types of milk, in all shapes, colors, sizes, and percentages. Rock sighed and picked a door at random, pulling out a carton that looked decent enough. Heading to the cash register, he placed it on the counter and tried to look as professional as he could, to avoid questions by the clerk. He hated when they asked him where his mother was, because he could think of nothing to answer but that he didn't have one, which would then earn him an overdose of sympathy that he didn't want or deserve.

Thankfully, today's young female clerk was somewhat distracted by the handsome bag boy, and she absently rang up his purchase and let him escape the store without incident.

Rock headed back towards the house more slowly, carrying the milk slung over his shoulder and thinking of various things. Everything was so peaceful today, it made him wonder what he would do for himself once Wily was finally stopped for good. He freely admitted he wasn't much use for the function his father had intended him, to be a lab assistant. He tried, he really did, but his heart wasn't in the work and something always ended up going wrong. Dr. Light had finally told him not to bother, that he had many other talents and not to worry about it. But Rock really wondered... what would be the use of a fighting robot once the wars were over? Practically all twelve years of his life had been spent thwarting Wily. Once that constancy was gone, what could he do?

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of an explosion.

_Well, at least I don't have to worry about being obsolete for now_, he thought with a sigh, then took off running towards the source.

The smoke was emanating from the front of a building about a block away. Rock recognized it; it was the local video game store he sometimes frequented. A small crowd was beginning to gather around the building, though no one seemed to want to get very close. There was a siren in the distance.

Rock approached the crowd, ducking around the taller humans to try and see inside. There weren't too many people yet, so he was able to stay a ways back and still have a clear view. The door had been blasted off its hinges and the front window had shattered, allowing a relatively unimpeded view into the shop. Rock looked inside, and froze.

"Oh, heck," he swore softly, and activated his teleporter. His shopping bag disappeared along with his civilian clothing, leaving him in his trademark blue armor. Ignoring the startled onlookers, he pushed his way through the rest of the crowd and dashed towards the ruined doorway of the shop.

Bass was rifling through a game bin as Mega Man arrived on the scene, apparently unconcerned with the smoke billowing from the door and window and the panicked shouts of customers fleeing the shop. His scowl grew more pronounced with every game he rejected.

"Mega Man games? What junk..." he muttered, holding up a game disk and then throwing it at the wall. "Hey, clerk guy!" he shouted, turning to the counter where two unfortunate employees who had been too far from the door to effectively escape now cowered. "Where's Grand Theft Auto?"

"Bass!" Mega Man burst through the front door, buster formed and charging. He pointed it at the black armored robot.

Bass didn't bother to turn around. "Oh, just who I need to see," he said, still flipping through games. "Blueberry-head."

"Really mature, Bass," Rock said, the charge complete. He didn't fire, however; Bass hadn't formed his own weapon and he really didn't want to provoke a fight if he didn't have to, and there were still humans in the area. While a single plasma shot wouldn't do much to dent a robot like Bass, it was a large problem to an unarmored human.

Meanwhile, the clerks were staring at the two robots with a mixture of fascination and fear. The fascination seemed to be gathered mostly by the clerk closest to the door, who spoke up in an awed tone, "Mega Man and Bass, duking it out right in front of me! My fantasies have become reality!"

This caused Bass to turn, and the clerk ducked back behind the counter with an "eep!".

Bass shook his head, and walked to the far wall to examine the games stored there.

"Get out of here, both of you," Mega Man said, raising the buster higher. The clerk who hadn't spoken needed no second bidding, and dragged his associate out the door.

With the humans gone, Rock relaxed somewhat, but kept his resolve and buster arm steady. "What are you doing, Bass?" he asked, as the ebony robot nonchalantly began plucking games from the wall and tucking them under his arm. "Those don't belong to you!"

"Do you think I care?" said Bass, as he walked behind the counter the clerks had just vacated and examined the gaming consoles lined up on the back counter. He picked up a PlayStation and added it to his collection. "I'm bored!"

"That's no reason to steal things!"

Bass turned to face his rival, grinning, the purple warpaint adding to his savage air. "Face it, Mega Man, I'm evil. Evil people steal things." He picked up a plastic bag from the counter and began depositing his haul inside. "And now, if you'll excuse me..."

"Well, well, well..." came a voice, in the wake of the familiar whistle. A robot in a grey bodysuit and red armor wandered nonchalantly through the ruined doorway, his oval shield on one arm and yellow scarf fluttering behind him. He gave Mega Man a knowing smirk from behind his dark visor and turned to Bass. "If it isn't my _other_ little brother."

"I'm not your brother, old man," Bass said sourly, glaring at Proto Man. The elder robot shrugged.

"You were made by half the team that made me, so that pretty much makes you as related as Rock is," he said. Sauntering up to Bass, he tugged the bag from his grasp and pulled out one of the games. "Final Fantasy X, hmm? Interesting choice."

"Give me that!" Bass hissed, snatching the game and the bag from Blues' hands.

"What, ashamed to let everyone know that bad ol' Bass likes RPGs?" the red robot said. Nonetheless, he backed away and stood beside Mega Man, who was still holding his charged buster.

"Put those down, Bass!" Rock declared. "I won't let you steal from this shop!"

"Like I care!" Bass snapped back, finally forming his buster and pointing it at the blue bomber. "Try and stop me!" He fired, only to have his shot easily deflected by Proto Man's shield. Mega Man ducked from behind his brother and released his charged shot, which struck Bass on the side and sent sparks flying.

Then the battle was joined in earnest. Bass sent a rapid-fire burst of plasma across the room, and Mega Man dodged, trying to keep from standing in front of the ruined window for fear of stray bolts striking the bystanders outside. Plasma sizzled against the walls, leaving behind blackened marks and melted games.

It really wasn't much of a fight. There wasn't enough room in the store to maneuver properly, and neither side was doing much damage. Bass was worse off, since he had two targets to look out for, but the limited space made working together difficult. Blues finally just dropped down behind his shield and started sniping Bass, letting Rock continue to run and dodge. They continued the dance, bolts flying everywhere but into each other, until Bass leaped over a display of used SNES cartridges and landed awkwardly on an overturned shelf. He tripped, and Proto Man used the opportunity to hit him with a charged shot. Bass staggered to his feet, electricity crackling from a hole burnt in his unprotected stomach area, and growled.

"Had enough, Bass?" Rock taunted, sending another shot at the ebony robot. He dodged, but only barely, the shot striking the edge of the wound. Bass flinched.

"...Don't think this is over yet!" he growled, then with a burst of energy, vaulted over Mega Man's head and onto the counter. "I'll get you next time!" he declared, snatched up the bag of games, and teleported away.

"And don't come back, Bass!" Rock shouted after him.

"You know, he still stole those games, Rock," Blues observed, standing up and slinging his shield onto his back.

"Well... at least he's gone," Rock said.

"That was so cool!" Blues and Rock turned as the clerk came rushing back into the store, with the rest of the crowd close behind. "And I got it all on tape, too!" he continued excitedly, holding up a small video camera. "This'll get a fortune on the Internet!"

"Not now, Fred," his coworker said, with a look of exasperation.

"Um... sorry about the mess," Rock said, rubbing the back of his neck. The store was pretty much gutted. Most of the games that weren't globs of smoldering plastic lay strewn about the floor.

"It's no problem, Mega Man," the clerk replied. "We have insurance against robot attacks."

"Time to depart, I think," Blues said, as the crowd began growing and a few reporters appeared on the fringes. "Come on, little brother."

He put a hand on Rock's shoulder and they activated their teleporters, disappearing in two brilliant columns of light.

In the distance, police sirens wailed as the human authorities rushed to the scene. The crowd around the game store began to disperse. There was nothing new about the wreckage of a robot attack. A trash truck rumbled down the street, and a few children came back out to play on the sidewalks. The wind whistled overhead and the sun beat down brightly on the pavement. The city resumed its normal facade.

It was just an ordinary day, after all.


	2. The First Grains Fall

* * *

CHAPTER TWO

_The First Grains Fall_

* * *

Two beams of light shot down onto the grass in front of the Light residence, coalescing into humanoid shapes. As soon as his body had solidified Rock recalled his armor with a sigh, running a hand through his dark hair. Blues did the same, after checking that his scarf had sustained no damage in the fight. 

"Well, are you going to run off now?" Rock asked, hefting the shopping bag and watching his brother carefully.

Blues pushed his sunglasses higher on his nose. "Dr. Light will want to know that Bass is attacking things again," he said. "I'll come in with you."

"Good." Rock grabbed the older boy's upper arm and pulled him towards the door.

"Hey!" Blues said, tugging away. "Not so fast. And remember to wipe your boots."

Rock froze just as his foot crossed the threshold. He looked down at his shoes, still dirty from the walk to the city. Sheepishly, he stepped back and wiped them on the welcome mat, Roll's angry face swimming in his mind. Blues gave him a bemused look, which he tried very hard to ignore.

The two entered the foyer, feet free of mud. Roll was nowhere to be seen, but there was a clatter of metal on the hardwood floor and Rock's red robotic dog, Rush, bounded up to greet his master. The young robot petted him absently before calling, "Hey, Roll, I got the milk, and dragged Blues home too!"

"You didn't drag me, I chose to come," said Blues, yanking the trailing end of his scarf away from the enthusiastic Rush.

"Same difference," Rock replied. "Roll! Where are you?"

"I'm in the kitchen, Rock!" came the answer. The two boys headed through the dining room towards the kitchen door. Rush bounded in their wake, still eyeing Blues' scarf.

Roll stood before the stove, heating something in a saucepan. She wiped her hands on her apron as her brothers approached.

"Here you go, sis," Rock said, handing over the shopping bag. Roll pulled out the carton of milk and turned it over, reading the label.

"Rock!" she exclaimed, dismayed. "This isn't the right kind!"

"What?" he said, startled.

"Father can't drink this," she said, holding up the carton. "You know he's lactose intolerant! He needs soy milk!"

"What? When did that happen?" Rock cried.

"He was born like that, Rock," Blues replied. "That's usually how it works."

"No one tells me these things!"

"You were supposed to know already," said Roll, setting the carton down on the counter and glaring at him.

"I was?"

"You _were_ programmed to be Dr. Light's assistant, Rock..." said Blues, looking slightly amused.

"So, what?" Rock asked, folding his arms. "You want me to go back and get _more_?"

"No, don't bother," Roll said, sighing. "You'd only mess up anyway. Remember the time I asked you to go get soda, and you brought home a box of baking soda?"

"It's not my fault I don't know up from down," Rock defended.

"...That made no sense whatsoever," Blues observed.

"I already did!" Rock declared hotly.

Blues stared at his brother. "What?"

"Quit trying to understand him, Blues..." Roll sighed, turning back to the saucepan. "I'm convinced he has a broken circuit somewhere in there."

"...Am not."

"Just... stop talking, Rock." Blues said, rubbing his temples. "Please." Rock grinned at him.

"Kids! What did I tell you about making noise while I'm working?" came a voice from outside. Dr. Light entered the kitchen, looking hassled.

"...Sorry, Father," Rock said, looking down at his shoes.

"It's all right, son, just attempt to be quieter, all right?" Dr. Light said kindly, ruffling the boy's hair. "Oh, and did you get the milk?"

"Yes," said Roll, indicating the carton on the counter, "But he didn't get the right kind..." Dr. Light read the label on the carton and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Father," Rock mumbled again.

"Don't worry about it, Rock," the scientist assured him. "I should have been more specific with my instructions. We'll make do without it today, and I'll run out and get some more tomorrow."

"But I did see Bass!" Rock exclaimed, brightening. "And I stopped a robbery! Or... tried to, anyway."

"Bass?" said Dr. Light, concerned.

Blues nodded. "Yeah. He was robbing a video game store."

"Not surprising, considering that last Robot Master you encountered," Dr. Light said wryly, thinking of the attack last week.

"Yeah, Wily must've taken his old PlayStation for 'Sony Man'," Rock said, suppressing a snigger.

"...Anyway, I get the feeling that's not the last we'll be seeing of Bass, Sony Man or no Sony Man," Blues said. "Wily's been quiet for too long. I think it would be wise if you tuned up Rock's systems again, doc."

"All right, Blues. I'll see to that right after lunch," Dr. Light agreed. "Would... you like me to look at you, as well?"

"No thanks, doc. I'm good."

"Ooh! Do I get my upgrade then?" Rock asked, bouncing slightly again.

"Upgrade?" Dr. Light asked.

"Yeah!" said Rock. "The one you were talking about earlier, when Roll and I were running around and annoying you!"

"Oh... um, no," said the doctor. "It won't be ready for awhile, I'm afraid."

"How long is a while?" Rock said, tilting his head inquisitively.

"Um... three weeks, or so. Maybe," Dr. Light said vaguely. Blues watched him with a thoughtful expression.

"Well, we're all here... I suppose I'd better get lunch finished, then," said Roll, moving to the refrigerator. "Father, you can go back to your work, I'll call you when it's ready. Rock, Blues... just stay out of the kitchen, okay?"

"Yes, ma'am," Blues said, only half jokingly.

"All right, sis," said Rock. "And I'll make sure Blues doesn't run off before it's done."

"Like I'd pass up her excellent cooking."

Roll waved a spoon in his direction. "Out! Flattery won't get you fed sooner."

Blues smirked, and headed for the door, with Rock and Rush in tow.

-------

Inside the skull-shaped fortress, on the edge of the ocean some miles away, Bass settled in for a good, long gaming session. He glanced down at his side, which sported a newly patched section of synthskin beneath his shirt. He gritted his teeth. The area still smarted, though the injury had been mild and easily fixed. More humiliating was the damage to his bodysuit. Wily had repaired it, but not without a tirade of German curses and Bass ducking a few blows from his wrench.

Still, it was in the past now. Bass told himself that he really hadn't been trying in the game shop, else the fight would have been much different. He would blow that self-righteous robot to pieces one of these days. It just didn't happen to be today. Today, he'd rather slay monsters than blue bombers.

Bass had been blissfully engrossed in the salvation of Spira for a few hours when a loud voice broke into his concentration. "BASS! Quit playing that stupid game and get out here!"

Cursing Wily under his breath, Bass threw down the controller. "Oh come on! I just met Wakka!" he griped. "I wanna do some random battles..."

Wily came to the doorframe of Bass' room, which was really just a storage closet the black armored robot had commandeered for his own use. The scientist was not normally one for giving his robots comfort, but Bass had made it abundantly clear he was not spending his free time in a stasis capsule and Wily had finally just let him be. The room was small and dusty, holding not much more than the aforementioned stasis capsule which was rarely ever used, a bed with a few thin sheets, a ratty couch Bass had nicked from a dumpster somewhere and the very old, battered television set. Treble, Bass' pet robotic wolf, lay curled on a tattered rug by his master's feet. His tail twitched as he dreamt, probably of chasing down some robotic rabbits.

"Do you want a repeat of Sony Man?" Wily asked, a menacing gleam in his eyes.

"Not really," Bass said.

"Then come here!" the old man commanded.

"I don't want to!"

"Stop being so whiny," Wily said. "It's not going to hurt."

Now Bass definitely didn't want to go. He was planning on giving him an 'upgrade', which never turned out well. "That's what you say every time you install some new junk in me!" He folded his arms. "And you're always lying!"

"Of course. I'm evil!" Wily said. Bass stared at him stonily. "Just get in here, before I turn you into a toaster!"

"Fine..." Bass grumbled, and stood up. Treble opened one eye and looked at his master quizzically. "C'mon, boy, let's go so the old man will shut up..."

"I can still hear you, you know."

"Ask me if I care," Bass muttered.

"And I could hear that, too."

------

A half hour later, Bass sat on a lab table, swinging his legs and trying to ignore the intermittent pains in his left arm as Wily pored over it with a welding gun. Wily finally pushed up his blast mask and poked the circuitry. Bass winced.

"Hmm... I think it's working now," Wily pronounced, then slipped the paneling back on the arm. He pressed down firmly and the synthflesh began to seal again as the nanites in the skin repaired the injury. Bass examined his arm as Wily plugged a cable into the back of his head to download the necessary programs for the new weapon.

"What do you call this thing, doc?" the robot asked, though he knew the program would tell him in a few seconds.

"The TimeStopper II," Wily grunted. He pressing a few buttons on the computer and Bass felt a surge of new data enter his systems. He took a few seconds to process and file it away. The TimeStopper II seemed to be identical to what his history chip told him about Flash Man's old weapon, though the power output was improved.

"There," Wily said, removing the cable. "All done. That didn't hurt, now, did it?"

"Yeah, it did," Bass muttered.

"Good. Now, I think it's time for a little... field testing." Wily rubbed his hands together and cackled.

"But we haven't even tested it here in the lab yet," Bass observed.

"Exactly," said Wily, scowling. "Now shut your mouth and go attack the city."

"I just got back from there, doc," Bass complained. "I don't want to go again!"

"You can teleport, bolts for brains, why does that matter?" Wily said. "You'll be there and back in no time at all."

"Fine," Bass muttered, and stood up. He stalked towards the door to find his armor, with Treble on his heels. "But once you conquer the world, you darn well better let me play my video games." He exited the room, leaving the scientist alone in the light of the monitors.

Wily watched him go, then turned and began walking to the corner of the room. "Worthless piece of scrap metal," the doctor whispered, approaching an opaque capsule hooked up to a computer bank. "There won't be any more use for you when I finish your replacement..."

He ran his fingers down the side of the capsule and softly laughed.

-------

"Thank you, Roll," Dr. Light said, standing up from the table, holding his empty plate. "Lunch was splendid."

"Yeah! It was great!" Rock chirped from the other end, still working through his second sandwich. "Is great, I mean..."

"Thanks," Roll said, becoming busy at the sink to avoid looking too pleased with herself.

Blues poked his brother. "Don't eat the whole house, now," he teased. "It's more important for Dr. Light to have food than us, anyway."

"Hmph," Rock said, rolling his eyes. "I walked all the way to town and fought off Bass. I'm entitled to be hungry."

"Hurry up and finish, Rock, I have to clean up now," Roll said, taking Dr. Light's plate. "Besides, Father probably needs you soon so he can tune up your systems like he said."

The doctor nodded. "Yes, if you could come down to the lab when you're finished..."

His sentence trailed off as the sound of distant sirens entered through the open window. Running to the small television on the kitchen, Rock switched it on to show an aerial view of burning cars and buildings in the middle of downtown. In the center of it all was a black robot, firing plasma bolts seemingly at random as people fled in all directions.

"The city's under attack again!" Rock exclaimed in dismay, watching as one of Bass' shots hit a fire hydrant and water shot into the air.

"Maybe Bass is looking for a copy of Final Fantasy X-2..." Blues said, faintly amused.

"Be serious, brother," Rock sighed. "People could be getting hurt!"

"There's no time to tune your systems now, Rock," Dr. Light said, concerned. "The city needs you. You'll have to go as you are."

"I'll be fine," Rock said confidently. "Bass was a pushover earlier today. Blues, are you coming too?

The elder robot folded his arms. "Hn. I guess since you asked so nicely..."

"You would've just shown up mid-battle anyway, you know," said Roll.

"...I'm becoming too predictable."

"Be careful, you two," Dr. Light said. They both nodded, and summoned their armor.

"Have fun playing with Bass!" Roll said.

Rock grinned. "Oh, we will." The brothers flashed brightly with energy, and teleported away.

------

"That's right! RUN! Run away! ALL of you!" Bass shouted, firing his buster at a fleeing human. The plasma shot missed intentionally, but sent up a shower of pavement that pelted the unfortunate man. "The more you run around and scream, the faster I can get back home!"

Rock materialized a short distance from the scene and raced towards the black robot. "Bass!" he cried, forming his buster.

Bass smiled darkly at the sight of his rival. "Mega Man... how expected." Then, without turning his head, he addressed the red and grey form in the shadows to his right. "And you too, Proto Man? Did you grow weary of your mysterious and timely entrances?"

Blues stepped forward, looking completely unconcerned by his quick detection. "No, but I grow weary of your weak comebacks."

"We don't have to fight, Bass!" Rock said. He knew it wouldn't do any good, but it was part of the code. He would ask Bass to stop fighting, Bass would refuse, and they'd soon get into a brawl that destroyed a few city blocks before Bass was forced to retreat. "You don't have to follow Wily's orders!"

"Can it, rockhead," Bass said, and lobbed a shot at the hovering news helicopter. It too missed intentionally, but the helicopter got the message and backed away to film from a greater distance. "I do this because I want to. I'm good at it, and it's fun. Destruction's my forte, so to speak." He smiled.

Rock sighed at the bad pun. 'Forte' was the name Bass sometimes used to go incognito, which never worked out very well since he had a hard time going for long stretches without destroying something.

"...That was horrible," Blues said, echoing Rock's thoughts. Rock nodded.

"Deal with it, old man," Bass said.

Blues unlatched his shield from his back. "Hey, Rock, I vote we beat him into the ground until we feel better."

"...Sounds good to me," Rock said, raising his buster.

Bass, not one to be bested, launched the first shot, then darted away as two charged plasma bolts came flying back at him. He ran among the halted and smoking cars littering the street, sending blasts at the brothers whenever the opportunity presented itself.

Fighting in the open was much easier than in the game store, even if they were confined by buildings, and Rock soon found himself falling into the rhythm of battle. Charge, shoot, slide away from danger, charge up and shoot again. Blues' presence made things simpler, as when Rock was ducking, Blues was shooting, and vice versa.

Bass dodged a shot from the Proto Buster with a swift dash, taking cover behind an overturned dumpster. Plasma thudded into the barrier, sizzling as it ate away at the metal. The relatively thin barricade wouldn't hold for long, so the black-armored warrior scanned the battlefield for a new vantage point. A small, rickety looking fire escape on an adjacent building proved exactly what he was looking for.

Hearing the easily recognizable blast from Mega Man's buster, he executed another dash and leapt toward the fire escape. He activated the thrusters in his boots when he reached the apex of his jump to ensure he cleared the banister. Landing smoothly, he spun and unleashed his buster on full automatic at Mega Man. The little blue robot slid out of the way, then dove behind a mailbox while his weapon continued charging.

Blues, unsure of whether the building Bass was using for cover was evacuated, threw up his shield in front of him and ran forward to find a clear shot. Bass was quick to notice and immediately turned his weapon on the older robot. Rapid fire shots ricocheted off the shield in several directions, sending debris flying wherever the rogue blasts landed. When he reached a distance he deemed safe, he moved the shield aside and fired a charged shot at the black robot, hoping it would strike.

It did, and Bass was sent through the cinderblock wall after catching the plasma right in the chest. Thankfully his armor was much tougher than it looked, so the attack did little actual damage. Truthfully, getting blasted through solid concrete had shaken him, but he rose from the pile of fallen bricks and ran back onto the fire escape without hesitation.

By now Mega Man was out of hiding and attacked as soon as Bass emerged. The black robot saw the wave of blue plasma heading for him, so he dash-jumped from the platform back to the street below. With a smirk, he watched as the blast rocketed off into the sky.

"Mega Man, you suck at aiming. Is your brother the only one in your family who can shoot straight?" he demanded, firing a salvo of his own.

"It must say more about you if you lose to him so often with a rapid fire weapon," Blues countered, launching a flare of yellow energy at him.

Bass slipped behind an overturned car just before the shot connected. Popping back out, he snapped off three plasma bullets at Proto Man. The scarf-clad robot gracefully rolled out of the way and sought cover in an alley.

"Damn!" Bass swore, turning his attention back to Mega Man. Rock had already lined up another shot, firing without hesitation. The frustrated Wily-bot quickly crouched, the blast barely clearing his head fins. This wasn't looking good. Mega Man and Proto Man were both very fast. Though Bass was faster, keeping up against two crafty opponents was proving more difficult than he had anticipated. Without any of the Robot Master weapons except the TimeStopper II, Bass knew he couldn't easily win if he wasn't able to overpower them soon. The ebony robot let out another curse at Wily for removing Pirate Man's Remote Mine data from his memory banks. It would certainly be helpful right about now.

Pushing aside his frustrations with the old German doctor, Bass flung himself back into the fray to take a few shots at Mega Man before Proto Man became aggressive again. This time, one of his bursts managed to connect with the blue bomber, and he skidded back a few feet, dazed slightly, but barely injured. Mega Man retaliated with a quick, uncharged shot from his Mega Buster. The small yellow orb of plasma struck Bass, but did little more than sting.

"Is that all you've got?" Bass demanded, firing a three round burst at Rock again. The blue robot fired back with his low powered shots, and Bass expertly dodged each. He laughed derisively at his opponent, but in his arrogance, he failed to realize that Blues had set up an attack of his own.

A powerful blow struck Bass from behind. The Wily-bot was sent sprawling to the street by a well-placed shield bash. Proto Man leapt back after smashing him in the skull, and began charging his buster again.

Cursing, and feeling his synthskin throb painfully, Bass rose and turned, his red eyes burning with intense anger. As soon as he was on his feet, he blasted five rounds at Blues, three of which struck and sent him skidding backward. Fortunately, the Light-bot's armor held and he was merely slightly winded.

Not one to quickly learn, Bass again fell right into a trap. With his back turned, Mega Man was given a free shot. He didn't waste the chance. The powerful wave of blue plasma struck Bass and sent him soaring past Blues and into a parked car. Glass flew everywhere as the heavy robot smashed into the side-panel of the vehicle.

Rock and Blues carefully approached the wreckage, their weapons still active. Bass emerged from the pile of twisted steel a moment later and grunted as he faced the Light-bots again.

"Well… it looks like the brothers Light can only take me in a two versus one fight," he snapped. "Fine then, let's see how you handle my new trick!"

"Careful, Rock," Proto Man warned, as the blue robot took a step forward, buster charging.

Rock rolled his eyes. "Eh, he's probably just going to fuse with Treble or something."

"I said new trick, you nimrod," Bass said.

"Whatever," Rock replied, keeping his eyes trained on his enemy.

"Now... prepare to taste my wrath!" Bass proclaimed. The yellow-orange areas of his armor morphed to purple.

"Ooh, stylized head fins," Blues remarked sardonically. "We're petrified."

"Blues, I think he's got a Robot Master weapon," Rock said, now being the one to caution his brother.

Blues shrugged. "So? It's not like most of them are any good."

"Fear the power of the TimeStopper II!" Bass said, and pointed his left arm at Mega Man.

The brothers tensed. Seconds ticked by. Nothing happened.

"...Oh, we're fearing all right," Blues said.

"Damn!" Bass swore, dropping his arm. "Why does everything that old man builds have to be useless?"

"You just insulted yourself, you know," Rock commented.

Bass growled and switched back to his buster in an instant, catching the blue robot unawares with a shot to the chest.

"Rock! Are you okay?" Blues said, raising his shield and stepping towards his brother.

"I'm fine," Rock said, keeping his weapon trained on the ebony robot. "Bass, don't do this. I don't want to fight you again."

"Blah, blah, blah," Bass mocked. "You're such a chump, Mega Man."

"He's not the one causing pointless destruction," Blues observed. "I suggest you stop this right now.

"Or what? You'll destroy me?" Bass laughed derisively. "I doubt you have it in you. How about I destroy you too, Proto Man?" He moved his buster slightly so it was trained on Blues.

"Leave him out of this," Rock said, gritting his teeth. "If you want a fight, I'll give it to you. Alone."

"I can't let you do that," Blues said.

"I'll be fine," the little robot assured him, still not taking his eyes off his foe. "Bass! Get ready!"

"I was built ready!" Bass sneered, and fired.

Rock was ready as well, and leapt easily over the shot, releasing the charge on his buster as he landed. The plasma hit at almost point blank range, but missed Bass' main body to slam into his gauntleted left wrist. The charge was enough to eat through his armor, however, and the limb began to spark.

Then there was a whirr and the world changed. A strange, invisible wave of distortion spread out from Bass as his coloring changed back to purple, causing the edges of the buildings to ripple and flow. Mega Man and Proto Man looked startled, but then grew unnaturally still. Bass looked up to find himself in a frozen world.

"Guess it did work," he said, looking around with interest. A bird had halted in mid-flight, defying gravity as it hovered in the air. The news helicopter, too, remained in the sky, its propellers unmoving.

Bass walked up to Mega Man and poked him. There was no response. The boy was as still as if he had rusted solid. He had a look of confusion, staring blankly at the spot where Bass had stood a moment before.

"Wily actually built something useful," Bass remarked aloud, incredulous.

He looked at Mega Man, unmoving and undefended. "I... suppose I'd better destroy him," he said, feeling strangely... hesitant? Why was that? This was his life's goal within his grasp. Almost... too easily within his grasp.

Bass shook his head. This was no time to be growing a conscience. He wouldn't lose again. He couldn't allow it. Raising his arm, he prepared to switch his weapon mode back to normal.

Bass suppressed a cry as pain suddenly ripped through his arm. The buildings flickered again as waves of invisible energy passed. The bird's wings moved slightly. Bass dropped to his knees as energy crackled and reality around him buckled and twitched. Before he could move or even think, the distortion crashed down on him and the nearby Mega Man, and swallowed them whole.

Blues blinked as the world seemed to waver. Something was terribly wrong. Looking instinctively towards Rock, all he saw was a twisted, eye-paining section of space that smoothed and vanished within moments. A bird darted overhead and alighted on a nearby building. The distant hum of the news helicopter thudded in his ears.

Bass and Rock had disappeared.

He called their names hesitantly, not really expecting a response. From the look of that distortion, whatever had happened had taken them far beyond his reach. Trying to quell the beginnings of icy panic coiling in his chest, he dialed Rock's communicator. There was nothing, not even static.

Giving another look around, Blues called up the teleport coordinates of the lab. Dr. Light would know what to do.

...He hoped.

* * *


	3. To Far Away Times

_A.N- Please do leave us feedback if you're reading this. It's difficult to improve if you don't know what needs fixing, after all! To all of those who have reviewed, thank you very much for your comments. We really appreciate them, and we hope you will remain with us for future chapters._

_Anyway, on with the story!_

_

* * *

_

CHAPTER THREE

_To Far Away Times_

* * *

Something was tickling his nose. 

Rock instinctively brought up a hand to bat the object away. His gloved fingers connected with something soft. Opening his eyes, he found himself staring into the whiskered face of a large, brown rat.

"Gah!" Rock cried, sitting up. The startled rodent darted away, Rock's shout reverberating off the buildings ringing the area. There was a squeaking from the shadows as the rat rejoined its brethren and the group shrunk back, wary of their sudden visitor.

Rock stood up shakily, his limbs more like lead than lightweight titanium alloy. His head throbbed and he felt like gravity had swapped itself several times. Closing his eyes, he waited for the world to become normal again.

When the pain receded, he opened his eyes, only to wish he'd kept them shut. He was standing in what looked like a war zone. The buildings were crumbled and decayed, riddled with bomb holes, bullet marks, and what looked like plasma burns. Rubble littered the asphalt street, which itself was heavily cracked and mostly gravel now.

_Is this my city?_ he thought with despair. But no... none of the buildings, even in their current state, seemed familiar. There were too many skyscrapers and the layout was wrong. Wherever this was, it wasn't home.

"Hello?" Rock called, his voice retaining some of his fear, despite attempts to keep it hidden. "Blues? Bass?"

There was no answer. Rock tried his communicator, only to find it had been broken sometime during the fight. He tried his teleporter next, but it wouldn't respond.

"Great," he muttered, fighting down panic. He was alone out here, wherever here was.

"Hello?" he called again. The call echoed, six slightly softer Rocks asking for assistance as well.

No answer. Rock looked around at the landscape. He supposed there was no point in remaining here, surrounded by ruins and rats. He'd have to start walking, and hope to run into someone who could tell him where he was.

He had taken two steps when he heard a sound behind him. Whirling and forming his buster, he tensed. Picking their way over the piles of pavement were two robots. At least, he assumed they were robots. They moved too fluidly over the uneven ground to be human, and were armored in the same general style as Robot Masters. The larger one, on the left, wore emerald colored armor, while his companion sported grey. The left one spotted Rock first and his face split into an unpleasant grin.

"Well, what do we have here?" he said, stepping closer. Rock backed away. He didn't like the look of these robots at all. Besides the fact that he'd rarely met a non-Light bot who wasn't hostile, the two just made him nervous. He kept his buster formed.

"Who are you?" Rock asked warily.

"Who are _you_?" the robot said back, mockingly. "Are you lost, little boy? You shouldn't be wandering where we Mavericks can find you..."

"Mavericks?" Rock asked. He knew the word was defined as 'a deviant from the norm', but this robot had used it like a title.

The self proclaimed maverick grinned. "Very good," he said, with a tone of twisted pride. "You win a prize, little lost reploid. Striker, tell him what he's won."

The grey robot, silent until now, blinked. "What he's won, boss?"

"Yes, idiot. What do we normally do to lost reploids?" the green maverick hissed.

"Um... kill them?"

"Exactly," the robot purred.

Rock backed away farther and trained his buster on the creature's head. "I'd rather you not do that, thanks."

The robot just grinned, and lunged. Rock fired reflexively, the plasma pinging off his foe's armor. The blue bomber ducked to the side at the last second, hearing the maverick's fists whistle past his head. His adversary hadn't formed a buster himself but instead extended claws that attempted to shred Rock's synthskin.

Taking off at a dead run, Rock tried to put as much distance as possible between himself and his enemy. Plasma thudded into the asphalt to his left as the grey maverick joined the fight. Charging his buster, Rock sent a wave of energy back at his attackers. It slammed into the green one, knocking him off balance and slowing his pursuit.

_Who are these guys?_ Rock thought desperately, sliding to avoid another plasma burst. They were more advanced than any robots he'd seen before, and his buster wasn't doing much damage. He wished Blues were still with him. Then, he'd have a better fighting chance.

An explosion rent the air, and the grey maverick went flying into the brick wall of a nearby building. Rock whirled, and saw another figure approaching—this one clad in familiar black and yellow armor.

"Hey, scrapheaps!" Bass taunted, raising his buster. "I'm the only one allowed to kill the blueberry!"

"Bass!" Mega Man called, never so glad to see the Wily-bot.

"Can it, let's just trash these idiots," Bass replied by way of greeting. Rock nodded and unleashed a charged shot as Bass switched on his automatic fire. The mavericks were left with no room to maneuver as plasma slammed into armor and unprotected limbs.

"Gah! Let's get out of here," the green-armored robot said to his companion, not so confident once the tide of battle had turned. The other quickly agreed as another salvo of plasma hurtled towards them, and the two vanished in a stream of teleportation light.

"Damn," Bass swore, lowering his buster when it became apparent they were not returning. Turning to Rock, he asked, "You still alive, Mega Man?"

"Yeah, I'm okay," Rock replied, lowering his own weapon and dissipating the charge. "What are you doing here?"

Bass shrugged. "Apparently Wily's crappy invention malfunctioned and took us both for a ride."

"Do you know where we are?" Rock asked, surveying the ruined buildings. The sky above was dark with smog, though he could see a hazy sun showing that it was still afternoon.

"Don't ask me, I have no clue," Bass said. "Wherever it is, it's no place I've been before."

"What was that thing you used, anyway?" Rock asked, taking a few steps towards Bass. The black robot made no move to flee or attack, which was a good sign.

"It's called the TimeStopper II," Bass said, holding up his left arm. It was sparking slightly. "Variation on Flash Man's old weapon. Wily planned on using it to freeze time all over the city so he could take over without you bothering him."

"No less crazy than his other plans, I suppose..."

"And like the others, it's not working out," Bass said rubbing his sparking appendage.

"Is... that thing still operational?" Rock asked, though from the look of it he doubted it.

Bass laughed. "No, it's completely dead," he said, a bit ruefully. "Though I suppose it's for the best. Next time we could have ended up in Antarctica."

"This place doesn't really seem much better," Rock observed.

"You do have a point," Bass admitted, looking around.

Rock hesitated, afraid to ask his next question. Finally, he said, "Maybe... we should travel together?" Bass looked at him. "Until we figure out where we are, I mean?"

"Travel? With you?" Bass said slowly, as though it was the most absurd thing he'd ever heard. "Pfft. I'd sooner eat a Magnet Missile."

"But what if those robots come back?"

"That's easy," Bass said. "I'll shoot them in the face until they stop moving."

"Bass, if we go together we may be able to get out of here faster," Rock insisted. "And then you can go back to your PlayStation, stolen though it may be."

"You're not going to shut up about that until I agree, do you?" Bass sighed.

"Nope."

"Fine!" Bass said, giving up, though the Rock sensed he was actually somewhat relieved at the suggestion of traveling together. Neither robot fancied being alone in this city. If the Wily-bot had been really adverse to the suggestion, he would have shot Rock and ran off. "If only to get you to be quiet. I suppose even _your_ company is better than wandering around like an idiot."

"Thanks, Bass," Rock said. Bass merely grunted.

---

They traveled in silence for some time, each city block as ruined as the last. Rock knew they were hopelessly lost. Still, walking was better than standing and waiting to be killed. Several times they had to duck into the shadows to avoid dangerous looking mechaniloids trundling past.

Bass made no attempt at conversation, and Rock thought it best to humor him. It must be tough enough for him to be traveling together. Rock had worked with Bass on several past occasions, but the two had never been on good terms, or much of a team. The situation saddened Rock. As far as he knew, besides his siblings, Bass was the only other sentient robot in the world. They had much in common, though Bass would never admit it. Rock had long resigned himself to the fact that Bass would probably never become friendly towards him. They were on opposing sides, and the black armored robot was programmed to hate Mega Man. Rock knew how difficult it was to overcome basic programming, even with the best of intentions. That Bass had ever been able to work together with him showed the strength of his resolve.

Rock finally spoke as the sun lowered towards the fog-shrouded skyline and his internal clock said it was now late afternoon. "Where on Earth are we, do you think?" he said, examining a tattered billboard for some sort of shampoo product. "And what could have happened here?"

Bass shrugged. "Don't know, don't really care, as long as we get away from it."

"Aren't you curious at all?" Mega Man asked. He stepped over a crack in the pavement. "These mechaniloids don't look like Dr. Wily's design. That must mean there's some other robot maker out there..."

"Maybe," Bass said, noncommittally. He looked ahead and suddenly stopped walking. "Look." He pointed at the buildings just ahead. The quality improved drastically a few houses away, as the street passed what looked like a makeshift wall built out of fallen bricks. "This place doesn't look so run down."

"There are people up ahead, too," Rock said, noticing a few of what were unmistakably humans moving quickly along sidewalks on the other side of the barrier. "Maybe we can ask them where..."

"Look out!" Bass shouted, shoving Rock to the side as a plasma bolt sped past where their heads had been a moment before. A group of robots burst from a side street close to where the humans walked, firing shots wildly. The humans broke and scattered, screaming.

"That's right, run!" a robot at the head of the of the group crowed, firing into the fleeing crowd. "Pitiful humans! You will all be destroyed in the name of Sigma!" A bolt hit an elderly man in the back, and he crumpled to the ground.

Rock gasped. The robot had just killed a human being. Not even Wily's robots did that intentionally. Wily was more interested in property destruction and spreading fear than in rampant bloodshed. He saw no point in killing his future subjects.

Rock could feel the First Law begin to wail at him, demanding he protect the other humans. He had no problem with obeying. "Bass, we have to stop them!" he shouted, firing his weapon at the nearest mechaniloid following the larger robots. The bolt hit a sensitive spot and the creature exploded, injuring the robot beside it as well.

"I hate to admit it, but you're right," Bass said, also looking slightly disturbed by the callow disregard for human life. "Let's get them."

The two began firing, running forward and vaulting over the wall. Bass shot down another mechaniloid. The leader turned at the sudden attack from the side and spotted the two smaller robots.

"What do we have here?" he hissed. His armor was designed to resemble a scorpion, heavy on the head and back and an added long tail. "A kid in blue spandex? And someone with fish fins for a head?"

"I am so tired of those jokes," Bass said.

"Fine then," the scorpion-bot replied, smiling and revealing fangs. "You won't have to hear jokes where you're going!"

"I'm sure," Bass replied dryly, and began firing.

The robot hissed and jumped out of the way, lashing out with his barbed tail. Rock jumped over it and released a charged shot from overhead, striking him in the unarmored upper leg. He buckled, giving Bass room to pepper him with rapid-fire plasma.

As the scorpion gathered himself to lunge at the black robot, Rock landed and shot him in the back. The bolt tinged off his armor, but succeeded in distracting him enough for Bass to line up a few more shots and then dodge to a more opportune location. Rock ran as well, charging up and shooting down another mechaniloid along the way.

There were fewer of the smaller machines around, Rock noticed, but he had other things to worry about a moment later when the scorpion's tail whipped towards his head. Ducking, he turned to fire at the robot again... only to see its head explode.

"What?" Rock exclaimed, and turned to Bass, but the Wily-bot looked just as bewildered. The headless scorpion toppled to the ground. Behind it, they could now see another group of humanoid robots advancing from deeper in the better sector of the city. They fired on the last few remaining enemies, some of them splitting off to chase those who tried to escape.

The robot at the front of the group, who had fired the shot that killed the scorpion-bot, approached them. As he drew closer they could tell he looked incredibly humanlike, even more so than Rock and his siblings. The only indication of his mechanical nature was his armor and the buster on his right arm. But it was not the realism of the newcomer's design that startled Rock most. It was the color.

The robot's armor was bright blue, the same color as Rock's own. There were some differences, and substantial ones: he had chest armor, for instance; as well as more trimming on his helmet, and his jumpsuit was a blue-green color instead of Rock's light blue—but Rock couldn't help but notice the similarity. He supposed it wasn't all that far-fetched that another roboticist might have decided to emulate his design—Mega Man was famous almost everywhere—but he had no idea why he'd never heard of someone like this being built before. Furthermore, this robot seemed more like a better version of himself, if anything. He was much older looking, with green eyes and also, Rock noticed—though it could have been his imagination—a striking similarity of features. His face reminded him of Blues' when the red robot wasn't wearing his helmet.

The more Rock saw of this strange city, the more confused he became.

The man walked towards them, his buster armed but angled towards the pavement. "Are you two all right?" he asked, with a concerned tone.

"Yeah," Bass replied, still wary but sensing no open hostility from the stranger.

The man walked up and knelt beside the fallen scorpion, wincing slightly as he saw the damage. "Dead," he said, with a sigh. "I really wish... but it's the only way." He shook his head as though to clear it, and stood up. "I apologize for not arriving sooner," he said, turning to Rock and Bass. "The Mavericks managed to find a weakness in our defense shielding. It's being fixed as we speak."

Rock was about to say something, but was interrupted by one of the other newcomers, a yellow-armored male with rather garish green trim. "Commander!" he called, approaching. He halted before the blue-armored man and saluted.

"At ease, lieutenant," the man replied, in a kind tone. "What's your report?"

"Fifteen Maverick fatalities reported, sir," said the lieutenant. "None on our side, though Jay got a wound to the arm."

"Plasma burn?"

"No, he tripped over a brick," the lieutenant said, sheepishly.

The commander laughed. "Tell him to look where he's going next time. Clumsiness could get him killed in a real firefight."

"Yes, sir."

"How about civilian casualties?"

The lieutenant looked grim. "One man was hit, sir. Doreen's looking to him."

"He's not dead, then?" Rock said, hopefully. "I saw him get shot, it looked pretty bad..."

The lieutenant turned, seeming startled to see Rock and Bass. "He should pull through, if we get him to a hospital soon," he replied.

"That's good news," said the commander, smiling. "Go give my message to Jay, and get the others to regroup. Oh, and call Ari over here. I need her to scan these two for infection." He nodded to Rock and Bass. "No offense to you two, but it's standard procedure."

"Right away, sir," the lieutenant said, and hurried off.

"A bit formal, but he's a good kid," the commander said, sounding slightly amused as the lieutenant halted a purple-armored female and she turned to head in their direction. She stopped beside Bass and pulled out a small device, which she proceeded to pass over the two smaller robots a few times.

"They're all clean, commander," she pronounced, looking at the readout on the screen. "The black one's got an odd power source, but nothing too unusual."

"Very good. Thank you, Ari," he replied. She saluted and walked away, heading towards a group of soldiers picking up the pieces of a destroyed mechaniloid.

"All right, then," the commander said, turning back to Bass and Rock and smiling at them. "Now that we've ensured you're not Mavericks in disguise, we can have a proper introduction. My name is Mega Man X, commander of the 17th unit of Maverick Hunters."

Rock and Bass froze. It couldn't be. But the appearance did match the name...

"Mega Man..." said Bass.

"...X?" Rock finished.

"Yeah," said X, watching their reactions. "Guess you've heard of me?"

"...In passing..." Rock said faintly. What the heck was going on here? First the wrecked city, then all the strange 'mavericks' that looked far more advanced than anything he'd seen in his life, and now a group of obviously sentient robots led by someone calling himself 'Mega Man'? Either his entire view of the world was seriously skewed, or... he didn't know what. He had no explanations for what could have occurred... none that made sense, anyway.

"And what are your names?" X inquired.

"I'm M—Rock," Rock said, catching himself from saying his title like he usually did while in armor. He needed more information before he revealed that name.

"Forte," said Bass, also opting to go incognito.

"Well, nice to meet you, Rock and Forte," X said. "Thank you for helping to stop those Mavericks. That was pretty impressive work for non-combat bots."

"Non-combat?" Bass said, sounding indignant, but Rock stomped on his foot.

"We couldn't stand by and watch those humans get hurt," he said, smiling brightly at X while 'Forte' glared at him.

"I understand," said X, nodding. "It's difficult to see injustice and not be able to help. It's why I joined the Hunters. But be that as it may, Mavericks are dangerous. You two could have gotten seriously hurt. Next time, leave the fighting to the Hunters, all right?"

"Hey! I can hold my own in a fight same as you, blue boy," Bass snapped.

Rock's eyes went wide. "Forte, don't talk like that!" he said, glancing at the Maverick Hunter commander. "Mr. X helped us, the least you can do is be polite!"

X laughed. "Don't worry, Rock. I've been called far worse by people who meant it more. And you can just call me X."

"All right, then, X," Rock said. "I apologize for his behavior." He glared at Bass again. "We're a little... lost, so he's frustrated."

"You two are lost?" X asked. "Well, that does explain some things. You do look rather confused." The two glanced at each other, then nodded vehemently. "Don't worry. I'll help in any way I can. Are you looking for someplace, or for someone?"

_Both,_ Rock thought, but said aloud, "Um, well, we've sort of... misplaced our brother?" _Which is true. _Bass looked a bit miffed at the "our", but he didn't say anything, for which Rock was grateful.

"I see," said X. "Where's the last place you saw him?"

"Really... I have no idea," Rock said, sounding defeated.

X's eyes softened. "It's all right. We're heading back to HQ now, and if you'd like to come along, I'm sure we can locate your brother."

"Thank you, X," Rock said. Bass nodded curtly.

"Don't worry about a thing," X assured them. "Hunter HQ is a short distance away, so you can walk back with me. The troops can take care of the rest of the clean up here, right, lieutenant?"

The lieutenant, who was passing, saluted sharply. "Yes, sir, Commander X!"

X smiled. "Good. I'll meet you all back at base once I've helped these two."

"Yes, sir!"

X touched Rock on the shoulder and gently led him around the cleanup crew that had arrived to cart away the dead Mavericks. Then he set off down the sidewalk, heading further into the city. Rock and Bass looked at each other for a second, shrugged, and followed the strange robot deeper into the unknown.

---------

The walk was short, as X had said, though that was partially because of their robotic gait. This section of the city was much nicer than the other areas they had seen, with the buildings whole and well-cared for. There were humans on the streets; not as many as were common at home, but still a fair number. There were also many robots like X and his unit mingling with the humans. Rock could barely believe that such a place could exist.

X led them across several streets and underneath a large highway filled with traffic of both regular cars and hovercraft. The noise of the vehicles thundered in their ears as they traversed the graffiti-marked archways beneath the road. The Hunter commander took a left and walked along a sidewalk, which lead to a larger road and then opened onto a building complex.

There were several structures, a main one surrounded by several smaller ones, connected by access skywalks. The main building was immense and metallic in nature. It looked like it belonged in an old sci-fi movie. Still, the place was aesthetically pleasing, if rather abstract. The buildings were surrounded by a thick wall, with watchtowers at regular intervals. The place had been designed so that it gave the look of a military institution without being overly threatening, a place meant for peacekeeping. Though Rock spotted guards in the watchtowers, the large front gates were open and many people walked in and out. There were few humans in this area, most of those entering and exiting wearing the tell-tale robotic armor. X, Rock, and Bass passed through the gates without incident and headed towards the main building.

There was not much in the way of greenery on the complex's front lawn, owing no doubt to the layer of smog covering the city, but to the left of the main doors was a small garden. There was a fountain in the center of a bed of flowers, showing a globe ringed by human and robot figures holding hands. X passed them without a glance, continuing up the drive and leading them to the front entrance.

There were five or six glass doors in a row, opening automatically when the robots approached. Entering the main lobby, Rock had to pause for a moment in shock. He had never seen or imagined so many robots in one place in his life. The foyer was packed with them. Many were the same almost-human type as X, but there were others like the scorpion maverick, with a more animalistic design. Some bustled about carrying data pads or stacks of paper, while others simply chatted with one another. Rock was overwhelmed by it all — the sights, the noise, the impossibility of the scene. For the first time in his life, he felt very small and powerless.

"Welcome to Maverick Hunter Headquarters," X said, noticing Rock's awe. "Stick close or you'll get lost!"

X led them through the crowd, weaving his way expertly through the throngs of Hunters. Rock and Bass followed as best they could, trying not to get separated. While they walked, Rock tried to take in as much of his surroundings as they could. The entrance foyer was immense, rising several stories into the air and spanning at least a football field in length. The center of the room sported a larger version of the fountain outside. Many robots sat along the long marble shelf circling the pool of water at its base. Along the edges of the room were doors leading into other parts of the building, which Hunters frequently entered and exited.

Rock's gaze swept to the far wall. Covering most of it was a giant screen showing a map of the world. There were many colored dots, some larger than others, scattered across the globe. They were labeled in a code Rock couldn't decipher. The map looked slightly odd, as there didn't seem to be many country boundaries, and those that did exist were in rather strange places. Above the map proper each time zone was labeled neatly with the current time at that location. Along the very top of the map was the date.

Rock nearly fell over. Bass actually did, slamming into Rock when the smaller robot stopped moving. The two tumbled to the ground in a tangle of limbs and armor.

"Are you alright?" X asked, concerned. He offered a hand and Rock took it, pulling himself to his feet. Bass rose on his own.

"What'd you do that for?" he snapped, looking irritated.

"Sorry," Rock apologized. Bass grunted and folded his arms, but didn't argue further. X, seeing they were both all right, started across the room again.

As soon as X moved away, Rock whispered to Bass, "_Look at the date_."

Bass did, and froze in much the same manner. "This is very bad," he said softly.

"You're telling me," said Rock, glancing at X. The hunter was still walking, unaware of anything amiss.

High above them, in giant, neon yellow letters, the date read, "May 14, 21XX."

* * *


	4. Foreign Lands

* * *

CHAPTER FOUR

_Foreign Lands_

* * *

"Well, that explains a lot," Rock sighed, turning away from the map. He took Bass' arm and pulled him out of the way of a large bear-type robot. The two set off across the Maverick Hunter Headquarters' lobby again, conversing in low tones as they followed X's blue-armored form. 

"So X is really...?"

"It's possible he's a Light-bot..." Rock said, as they passed a woman carrying a stack of papers. "It makes sense, doesn't it? All these robots look so advanced, it's likely our parents had something to do with it."

Bass made a small noise of disgust. "You may call your old fogey your father, rockhead, but Wily certainly isn't mine." He stalked ahead, and Rock had to duck under another robot's bat wings to keep up.

"Bass, what are we going to do?" he asked, pulling abreast. "We can't stay here!"

"Well, duh," the black armored boy replied. "But seeing as we have no clue how we _got_ here in the first place, and I doubt your little brother X can locate people across space-time, we're pretty much stuck."

"Stuck?" said Rock, alarmed.

"Until your doc and Proto Man find a way to reverse the time-travel, anyway," Bass replied.

"But they might not even realize that's what happened..."

Bass shrugged. "Your dad's intelligent, if nothing else. I don't doubt he can figure it out. Reversing it is another matter, though. It's possible this was a one-way ride."

"He'll get us home," Rock said confidently.

"Just keep believing that," Bass sighed.

Rock sidestepped a man pushing a cart of what looked like practice weaponry. "But... what are we going to do about X?"

"He's your brother, you figure it out," Bass said. "We should probably avoid mentioning time-travel for as long as possible, though."

"Right," Rock said. He looked ahead at X, who had stopped walking, waiting for them to catch up.

"You two okay?" he asked as they approached. Rock nodded. "Right, then." Motioning for them to follow, the Hunter commander stepped up to the long semi-circular information counter just below the giant map. A young woman with blonde hair sat at a computer behind the barrier. She wore a maroon bodysuit and light pink and white armor. Her hands moved over the keyboard far faster than was humanly possible, so Rock knew that she, too, must be a robot.

She looked up when X leaned on the counter. "Ah!" she said, sounding somewhat relieved. "X, I'm glad you're here... I hate front desk duty." She grimaced, looking out at the crowds milling about the room. "I wasn't built to be a receptionist."

"Yeah, I was surprised to see you down here, Alia," X said. "Slow day?"

"Pretty much," she replied, pulling off her headset so her hair hung freely. "Signas said we were shorthanded down here, so I agreed to help. Seems like everyone's decided to hang out at HQ today… But I heard you and the 17th had some excitement?"

"Just a small group that got past the defense perimeter," X sighed. "Caused by a burnt out control panel in the security system, they said... it's just fortunate no one was badly hurt." Then he brightened, and waved towards Bass and Rock. "Actually, it's mostly due to these two that they weren't."

"X!"

Everyone turned as another person approached the counter. He was a young-looking robot, with dark grey and red armor and spiky brown hair that jutted out the back of his helmet. Two large blue jewels adorned his helmet and his chestplate, and white ribbons streamed out behind him as he ran. Most striking, though, was the large, x-shaped scar that ran across the bridge of his nose. Rock wondered what could have happened to give a robot a permanent injury like that.

"Hey, Axl," X greeted the young man.

"Have you seen Zero?" Axl asked, skidding to a stop and looking around as though checking if the person in question was standing nearby.

X shook his head. "Not since breakfast."

Axl scowled. "I can't find him anywhere."

"He's probably off blowing something up, I wouldn't worry too much," Alia said dryly.

Axl sighed. "Probably. Oh well, I'll go look in the training rooms again. Thanks anyway." Then he blinked, noticing Bass and Rock. "Don't think I've seen you two before..."

"Yes, I was just introducing them to Alia," X said. "This is Rock, and this is Forte." He indicated them each in turn. Rock waved.

"Nice to meet you," Axl said, offering his hand for Rock to shake. "My name's Axl." He blinked, and peered closely at the boy's face. "Hey, are you some kind of fan of X here? You dress a lot like him..."

"Now that you mention it, we do look a little alike..." X said, frowning.

"...It's just a coincidence," Rock said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, either way, blue suits you," Axl said cheerily. "So where'd you run into them, X?"

X laughed. "I found them fighting off a squad of Mavericks all by themselves."

"Really?" said Axl. "That's pretty impressive, especially for civilians."

"I'm beginning to get offended," Rock muttered to Bass, while X described their meeting to Alia and Axl.

"I'm just plain offended," Bass replied.

"Not so loud, 'Forte'."

"...So they've gotten separated from their brother, and I offered to help," X finished.

Alia smiled at them. "Don't worry, then. We'll have you found in no time at all."

"What's your brother's name?" Axl asked. "And what does he look like?"

"His name is Blues," Rock said. "He's taller than me, with red and grey armor, and a dark visor. He always wears a yellow scarf, too."

"Fairly distinctive, then," X nodded. "Alia, can you put in a request for anyone who spots someone of that description to contact me?"

"Of course," Alia replied, and her fingers buzzed over the keyboard again.

"It probably won't be too long, especially if he's looking for you," X said, smiling kindly at Rock.

Rock frowned. "He'd better be..."

"Well, I know I'd be out searching frantically if I had missing brothers," X replied.

"Yeah..." murmured Rock.

"Don't worry!" said Axl cheerfully. "If anyone can find him, it's the Maverick Hunters."

"But that being said, it'd be smart for you to stay around here until we can find him," said X. "I'm assuming you don't live nearby?"

"Yeah," said Rock, thinking fast. "We're just visiting this city... we weren't supposed to stay longer than today, but... well, things happened."

"They usually do," said Alia, slightly amused. "Well, then... I don't think it would be a problem for them to hang around here until their brother arrives, do you, X?"

"That's probably the best option," X said, nodding. "I don't think Signas would object. They can stay with me, if they end up having to spend the night."

"Thank you, X," said Rock, very relieved.

"Not a problem!" said X, smiling. "It's no trouble at all."

"They've got some time to kill, then," said Axl. "Why don't we show them around Headquarters? I bet you've never been inside someplace this big before, huh?"

"No, we haven't," said Rock truthfully.

"Good idea," X said, but then frowned and looked up at the giant clock. "But, the 17th is probably back by now... Could you give them the tour on your own, Axl? I need to go debrief my unit and get cleaned up."

"Of course," said Axl, nodding. "Maybe we'll run into Zero on the way, too. For such a distinctive guy, he certainly can hide well..."

"That's certainly true," X chuckled. "I'll meet up with you at my quarters later, then. That is, if your brother doesn't reappear sooner."

"Right," said Rock. "See you, X."

X nodded, said goodbye to Axl and Alia, and started back across the lobby towards one of the far doors. His blue armor was soon lost in the crowd.

"Well, then," said Axl, putting his hands on his hips, "let's begin the grand tour! We're standing in the lobby, as you can tell..." He started walking across the room, Rock and Bass hurrying to follow. "This is where all the Hunters congregate when they're not on missions. It's packed today 'cause it's the weekend and we're in peacetime, but it thins out on weekdays and during Maverick uprisings. On your left is the central fountain, installed here just a few years ago..."

He continued relating bits of trivia about the Hunter organization as they headed to the elevator and rode to another floor. Rock learned that the mission of the Hunters was to protect humans from malfunctioning robots, called Mavericks. This city was their main headquarters, but they had outposts all over the world, monitoring for enemy activity. Axl walked them past the medical wing, the training rooms (where they found no trace of the mysterious missing Zero), and several floors of dormitories. The Hunters lived and worked in their base.

"As you're probably aware, the Maverick Hunter organization is the largest in the world that employs only reploids," Axl said, his arms behind his head as he walked down the corridor. "It's pretty much the only place where we're allowed to hold any real power, too. I mean, we do have to answer to the humans at the U.N., but for the most part, we're self-governing."

"So there are no humans working here at all?" Rock asked, looking around at the many people wandering the corridors. "Only... reploids?"_ So that's what they call themselves,_ he thought. They probably felt that 'robot' was too general a term, especially for beings as advanced as they obviously were...

"Well, there are some in non-combat areas," Axl amended, "but, all the fighting units are entirely reploid. It's safer that way, you know. What with the frequency we lose limbs, human Hunters would not be practical at all."

"Yeah, I can imagine," said Bass.

Axl nodded. "But, there aren't any humans in the upper levels of the organization, not since Dr. Cain died, anyway. Everything's run by Signas, now... General Signas, I guess you'd call him. He rarely uses his title, though, especially 'cause of the connotations from the fourth war... but I'm rambling now." He ran a hand through his hair, forcing it to spike even more sharply. "Anyway, it's Signas, then X and Zero, and Alia, and the other unit commanders... then me." He grinned. "I may not look like it, but I'm a S-class Hunter! The only one around besides X and Zero, you know. Of course, I'm not anywhere nearly as good as they are, but I'll get there someday!"

"You like to talk, don't you?" Bass said dryly.

"I guess you could say that," Axl said, grinning and shrugging off the comment. "I just love being here, and being a Hunter. I get to hang out with lots of awesome reploids and blow stuff up on a regular basis."

"But you also have to kill people," Rock said.

Axl looked at him sideways. "You sound like X, you know. He's always lecturing me... It's true, we do have to kill. But, they're Mavericks. They're gonna hurt themselves and everyone around them if they aren't stopped. There's no other choice, unfortunately."

"I suppose not..."

Axl shrugged. "It's the way things are, you know? I wish I could fix everything, but that unfortunately may never happen... But until then, we just have to do what we can. And what I can is be a Hunter and protect people."

"That's very admirable, Axl," said Rock.

Axl nodded, but was interrupted by a sudden soft beeping. He scrunched his nose in annoyance, making his scar stretch. "Excuse me for a moment, I've got a call..."

He closed one eye and tapped the side of his helmet. "Axl here."

Rock stifled a laugh as Axl's face began cycling through an array of emotions, from startled to angry to exasperated to amused. "Yes, I... what? Since _when_? ...I haven't been able to find you all day, you know! ...Yeah, well, forget you too. I'll be down there as soon as I can. Don't get your ponytail in a twist. Seeya in a few, Zero."

He turned back to the pair. "I'm sorry, guys, but my illustrious commanding officer has apparently decided to tell his unit we have a mission after it's already supposed to have begun. Do you think you can find your way to X's room without my help? It's on the third floor, room C323. Take the elevator at the end of the hall and go left. I'll send him a message so he'll actually let you in when you knock..."

"Um... I guess so," said Rock.

Axl smiled. "Great. Well, I'll probably see you guys later. If not, well, it was a pleasure meeting you!" He sped off down the corridor while waving goodbye, aided by the dash thrusters in his boots.

"Well, then..." Rock shook his head. "Guess we go find that elevator...?"

---

The pair made it to the third floor with a minimum of difficulties, and soon stood outside X's door. Besides the small label with the room number, there was a keypad and a brass nameplate reading "Commander Mega Man X, 17th." Seeing no doorknob or doorbell, Rock rapped his knuckles on the metal portal.

"Coming!" came a voice. A moment later, the door slid aside, revealing a smiling, green-eyed boy in a long sleeve T-shirt and slacks. His jet black hair was slightly damp, and there was a towel hanging around his neck.

"Come on in," X told them, stepping aside to allow them passage. "Axl told me he'd ditched you."

"Well, I wouldn't put it that way," said Rock.

X laughed. "I know, but still. You had good timing, though, I just got out of the shower. Come on, don't just stand there. Make yourselves at home."

The two tentatively entered the living room as X finished drying his hair and tossed the towel in the laundry hamper. It was a neat, compact apartment. X seemed to have inherited Roll's cleanliness, Rock thought dryly, looking around at the tidy living space. It didn't look like he took cleaning to the compulsive heights she did, but there was clearly a vacuum in the dwelling and it was brought out with some frequency. There was a small kitchen to the right of the entrance hallway, with a closet to the left. The kitchen held a fridge, a tiny oven and a microwave, as well as a counter with a few stools. Beyond was the living room, which held a couch, a chair, a coffee table, a television set, and as many bookcases as could be squashed along the right wall. These were packed to overflowing with hardbound volumes, and well dusted.

"Nice place," Bass commented grudgingly, looking around. On the left hand wall of the living room was another door, open and leading into the bedroom. Visible inside were a bed and a computer desk. There was another closed door beside the bedroom, and the rest of the wall was covered in framed pictures.

Rock wandered over to look at them. Most appeared to be snapshots of X and various people, sometimes in humorous situations. There were several with Axl, and a number of others containing Alia. Figuring most prominently, and appearing in nearly all of the pictures, was a tall male reploid with immensely long, blonde hair. He also seemed to be the one most often in an awkward pose when the camera went off.

"I see you're admiring Zero's antics," X said, walking up behind Rock. The boy nodded, guessing he must be referring to the blonde.

X smiled, and pointed to a snapshot of a very irate Zero, fuming while sporting his hair in two long, pink-ribbon adorned pigtails. Behind him were several highly amused women, including Alia.

"He always tries to destroy that one when he comes over, but I've got plenty of copies," he said, with a sly grin.

"Can't blame him," said Rock, with a small smile of his own.

He moved down the row, looking at the different moments from X's life. He seemed happy in most, which reassured Rock, though he knew images of hard times wouldn't have made it on the wall. At the very end, Rock saw a picture that made his heart soar and plummet at the same instant. It was a reproduction of an older image, looking grainy and faded as though it had been taken from a newspaper.

"I see you've met my father, too," X said softly, removing the picture of Dr. Light from the wall and handing it to Rock. The boy stared down into the scientist's face, dulled by all the intervening years.

Well, now there was no doubt. X was his little brother, designed and built by the same creative mind. Now the question was... why? When did his father build him? What was his purpose? And most importantly, why didn't X recognize Rock?

"That's one of the few decent pictures I could find," X said, tapping the glass. "For such an important man, he's very difficult to track down."

"Oh, really?" said Rock, trying to sound casual. Bass watched them curiously from across the room.

"Yeah..." X sighed. "I just wish... I knew more about him. Most everything related to him has vanished. All he really left behind was... well, me."

"That's it?" Rock asked. "You... don't know anything about his life? His work... before you?"

X shrugged. "If the records exist, I certainly haven't found them. And believe me, I've looked... I know he worked on other projects before me, and that he was well known in his field... but what those projects were, or anything related to his prior research, is gone. There've been a few mentions of some other sort of reploid-like robot he had, but nothing conclusive. Any other creations of his have been lost to time..."

_You don't know how literal that statement is, _Rock thought.

X put the picture back on the wall. "Still, I'm luckier than most reploids. At least I had a father at one point, even if I've never truly met him. That is, if he even really considered me his son... I don't know."

"I'm sure he did," Rock replied firmly.

X chuckled. "Thank you, Rock. I appreciate your confidence."

Rock shrugged. "Just stating truth."

---

X was called away a few minutes later, to attend to something in the main control room. He summoned his armor and headed to the door, promising to contact them if there were any news of Blues. Then the two were left alone in the apartment, with several more hours left before sleep could be considered.

"So, um..." Rock said. Bass just gave him a blank, red eyed stare, and picked up the television remote. Rock sighed and turned away. The Wily-bot was obviously intent on ignoring him.

Instead, the blue robot went to examine the rest of X's apartment. The bedroom was as neat as the other rooms, containing a tidy double bed with a quilted bedspread, the computer desk with a closed laptop, and a recharge capsule in the corner. Rock examined it. The outer design was different from the ones Dr. Light used, but the basic principles appeared to have remained unchanged. Recharge capsules could be used in place of sleeping, when energy levels had dropped too low or the robot wanted to run diagnostics or repairs. They were not very comfortable, as the occupant was totally unconscious and vulnerable while using it, but they were useful after especially taxing battles had depleted energy reserves.

Rock wandered back into the living room and pulled open the other door, revealing a small bathroom. The boy noted that X had a blue shower curtain, blue towels, and a blue toothbrush. Shaking his head, he closed the door and continued his tour. The kitchen was well-stocked with food—mostly of the healthy kind, though robots had no issues with weight gain—and there were many cans of fruit drink in the refrigerator door. Rock assumed they must be a favorite. There was a grocery list pinned to the freezer door and dirty dishes in the dishwasher. It looked like X cooked for himself, and judging by the absence of burnt mess caked to the stovetop, he was considerably better at it than Rock.

The boy moved back into the living room, heading for the bookshelves. X seemed to be very fond of reading. Rock had never taken much to it himself, preferring video games, but he did enjoy a good novel now and then. He scanned the titles. Some were difficult scientific tomes, many appearing to be very old. Others were classic novels with familiar titles- Treasure Island, Huckleberry Finn, and others Dr. Light owned copies of himself. There were newer books as well, written within the past few years. Rock pulled down one that looked interesting, titled "Maverick Mine". It turned out to be an action-thriller about a human man whose Reploid girlfriend was kidnapped by Mavericks and forced to aid them. It was moderately engaging, although many of the place names and references were completely unfamiliar, but he became involved with the story easily enough.

Rock was startled when X walked in the door and he realized that several hours had passed. It was now after nine-o'clock at night, and the sky outside the holographic window on the wall was completely dark. Bass switched off the television.

"Sorry to keep you so long," said X, walking over. "That took longer than I thought."

"Any news?" Rock asked.

As he expected, X shook his head. "No... I'm sorry. Guess you're stuck with me tonight."

"That's not a bad thing," said Rock. "You're very nice."

X laughed. "Well, thank you, Rock. I'm glad you think so. Now...I suppose you two don't have spare clothes."

Rock shook his head. "No... we weren't... intending to stay this long."

"Understandable," X said. "Well, I have some things you can borrow, when you're ready to turn in."

"Thanks, X," Rock said.

"Like I said before, it's not a problem at all." X smiled. "It's not often I have visitors who aren't Hunters, anyway."

He headed into the kitchen, opening the refrigerator. "Are either of you hungry? It's a bit late, but I could make something..."

"I'm all right," said Rock. Bass just grunted.

"Guess not, then," X said, chuckling. He pulled out three cans of fruit drink and tossed one to Rock. "Have one of these, anyway, they're good. And you can take off your helmet, you know... it must be uncomfortable lugging it around."

Rock froze. That would probably not be a good idea. Judging from his brother's appearance, without his helmet the two would look far too similar. Add that to the blue color scheme, and well... he didn't want to risk it. "I'm fine," he said, shrugging off the question. X raised an eyebrow, but didn't push the issue.

"Well, let's pull out the bed, then..." he said, walking towards the couch. "I'm sure both of you are exhausted after everything."

Rock helped X move the coffee table against the wall and the blue Hunter pressed a small button on the side of the couch. It unfolded into a double bed. X headed to the closet and pulled out some sheets, and the three worked quickly to make it.

"There," X said, stepping back and admiring their handiwork. "That should be all right for tonight. Hold on, I'll get you some pajamas." He ducked into his bedroom and emerged with two sets of shorts and T-shirts, which weren't blue, surprisingly enough.

"Thanks," Rock said, taking the clothing.

"Welcome. Now, I've got a little work to do and then I'm turning in myself... Just call if you need anything."

Rock nodded. "See you in the morning, X."

"Goodnight," Bass said, grudgingly.

"See you, too," said X, and disappeared into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

Rock handed one set of clothes to Bass, and seeing that the black robot was still not in the mood for talking, headed into the bathroom to change. This time he noticed that X had somehow managed to find blue toilet paper and blue soap.

Rock pulled off his helmet and set it down on the lid of the toilet. A human might have considered this fixture odd, but it was actually a necessary item. Reploid and robot systems were far more efficient than human bodies, so there was not much waste, but every so often purging was necessary, especially if the robot ate frequently. All robots had to ingest some form of nutrients in order to keep their auto-repair systems functioning, whether it was actual food or simply supplement tablets. The tiny nanites that ran the system were not constructed of metal, but of elements normally considered organic, although they were not actually alive. The miniature machines were thus able to use the elements in food to repair and multiply themselves. Food was also broken down for use as fuel, helping to boost the reploid's generator throughout the day. Though an undamaged robot could run for several years without eating or taking supplemental tablets, their immune system would not be in great shape, and they would probably feel constantly fatigued.

Rock reached up and brushed a few locks of black hair from his eyes, staring into the mirror. Looking back at him was the face that, if he were human, in a few years would grow identical to the one belonging to the boy inside the bedroom. Aside from the eye color and age difference, Rock and X were identical.

What was he going to do? They couldn't keep up this charade forever. They knew too little about this world, and Rock resembled his brother too strongly for it to remain secret in close quarters for very long. And deep within, his heart was screaming at him to tell X. He'd noticed the well hidden, but undeniably strong loneliness in his brother's eyes when he'd spoken about Dr. Light. Rock couldn't imagine living without his father and his family. X had known nothing else. He at least deserved to know what his life could have been like, if things had worked out differently...

But living alone in this broken future had hardened his brother, forcing him to become a realist. Rock doubted that X would believe him if he said he was a time-traveler. X might even become angry or upset, thinking Rock, or whoever had created him, was trying to toy with his emotions.

He couldn't tell X, but he couldn't _not_ tell him, either. Rock sighed. The situation was worsening by the moment. He could only hope that Blues and his father could find a way to bring him home...

Rock changed into the pajamas, carrying his armor with him back into the living room. Bass had apparently changed as well, as he was curled up in an impenetrable bundle on the left side of the bed. Nothing but his nose could be seen from beneath the blankets. A barrier of covers separated his side from Rock's.

"As friendly as ever, I see," Rock sighed, walking to the wall and flipping the light switch. He climbed into bed himself, as Bass pointedly shifted himself so his back was to the blue bomber.

"Bass?" Rock whispered, staring at the mound of sheets separating the two. It was illuminated by the dim light shed by the holographic window and the crack beneath X's bedroom door. "Are you all right?"

"Oh yes, I'm just peachy," Bass drawled back, but in a similar low tone. "I'm just stuck in some freaky future with you and your sickeningly self-righteous little brother, with no way of knowing if I can get home."

"They'll find us, Bass..." Rock said. "Father and Blues won't give up easily..." He suddenly frowned. "That is, if Blues didn't get caught in the distortion, as well."

"I doubt it," said Bass, shaking his head. "I was closer to you than him, and he would've been nearby when we woke up."

"Then we'll be fine," Rock said confidently. "Blues'll tell Father what happened and he'll come and rescue us."

"Aren't you the optimist..." Bass muttered.

"It's better than panicking over everything," Rock defended. "Besides... this is an adventure! We get to see the future... meet all sorts of new people..."

"You can call it an adventure if you want, rockhead," Bass muttered, burrowing further into the blankets. "I call it a nightmare."

"Well... have it your way, then, Bass," Rock sighed. "Goodnight..."

"Yeah, whatever. Just shut up and let me sleep."

------

Morning broke, light slowly creeping over the rooftops in the holographic window. Rock had instructed his internal clock to wake him at a time he hoped was earlier than X, so he could be back in armor before his brother awoke.

He reached over the divide and poked Bass in the back. "Hey, you awake?"

"Don't touch me," came the grumpy reply. A hand snaked out from beneath the covers, snatching the yellow and black helmet from the floor. A few moments later Bass pulled back the covers and sat up with it securely fastened on his head.

"Good morning to you too," Rock said, gathering his own armor and heading for the bathroom.

A half hour later, X emerged from his bedroom to find the two boys dressed and the couch put away. Rock was finishing the book.

"Do you like that one?" X asked, reading the title. "I thought it was pretty good, if a bit cliche sometimes."

"It's good," said Rock. "Very exciting. They mentioned you in here, too."

"I know." X grinned. "That's one of the perks of being well known, you get all sorts of cameos."

"I can imagine," said Rock.

"Well, I have to head to a morning meeting, unfortunately," said X, looking at the clock on the wall. "Will you two be all right by yourselves? I feel bad just leaving you here, but..."

"We'll be fine," Rock assured him.

"All right. See you later, then."

The morning continued relatively peacefully, Rock continuing to read and Bass flipping through the channels on the television. Programming in the future seemed to be similar to that in their own era, only with the addition of reploids to the plots of the show. Currently there was some sort of sitcom going on, about an office of some large company that employed humans and robots. Rock didn't find it very interesting, and by the look on his face, neither did Bass, but there wasn't anything better on.

Rock finished the book around noon, after the human hero destroyed the Maverick general with a captured armored transport vehicle and rescued his girlfriend. He was just about to choose another novel when X entered the room again.

"Hey, guys," he said, looking around. "You doing all right?"

"If you call dying of boredom all right," Bass muttered.

X chuckled. "Guess not, then... I'm sorry, my apartment's not really all that entertaining. What do you say we—"

He was interrupted by a beeping, heralding a radio message. "Hang on..."

He tapped the side of his helmet. "X here." He listened for a moment, then smiled. "You did? That's great! Tell him to wait, I'll bring them down."

He cut the connection and turned back to Rock. "It seems your brother's been found. He came in asking about you."

"Really?" said Rock, his heart leaping.

"That's good news," said Bass, also looking relieved.

"He's downstairs right now," said X. "I'll escort you... Are you ready to go?"

"Very much so," said Rock, and followed his brother out the door.

The group reentered the lobby, which was much less crowded than it had been the previous day. Alia was at the information desk again, looking none too pleased. Standing before her, though, was a very familiar person.

"Blues!" Rock shouted happily, racing towards the elder boy.

The red armored robot with the bright yellow scarf turned at the sound of his brother's voice, taking a few steps forward to help close the distance. "Rock!" he answered, the slightest trace of relief creeping into the face visible below the visor. "Good to see you. Are you all right?"

"Forte and I are fine," Rock said, trying to give Blues as much information as possible. "Mega Man X here has been helping us."

Blues looked at X, the only sign of recognition being a slight twitch of his left hand. "Thank you, then."

"You're welcome," X replied. "The Maverick Hunters are here to serve, after all."

"I'm glad everything worked out," said Alia. "Though... X, can you _please_ see about getting someone else transferred down here? I can't believe that _all_ the greeters are on leave today..."

"Can do, Alia," said X, smiling.

"Thank you again for helping them," Blues said, putting a hand on Rock's shoulder. "They have a real knack for getting into trouble."

"So do you, brother," Rock shot back, grinning.

"Like I said, it's no problem," X replied. "I'm just glad you found each other. If you ever need anything else, don't hesitate to come ask."

"We'll remember that," Blues replied. He shook X's hand. "Now, I'd better be taking these two home... It's nice meeting you, X. I hope our paths will cross again."

"Bye, X!" Rock said. "Thank you for everything. It was wonderful meeting you!"

"And the same for you, Rock," said X. "Be sure to stop by if you're ever in the area again, all right?"

"Uh... of course!" said Rock, silently wishing that were possible.

"Well, let's get going," Blues said. "The doc's worried sick."

He nudged Rock's shoulder gently, leading him towards the door. Bass nodded to X and Alia and followed. The three exited the building, Rock waving goodbye as the doors slid shut.

---

"Mega Man X?" Blues questioned, once they had cleared the Hunter compound.

"Yeah," said Rock, softly. "He's... he's our brother, Blues..."

"I guessed," Blues said, emotions unreadable beneath the visor. "I suppose he's the project the Doc's been muttering about..."

"What?"

Blues glanced at him. "Haven't you been paying any attention lately? He's been holing himself away in his lab for the past six months. I'm never home and even I could tell he's hiding something."

"Wait, so he's not making an upgrade for me?" Rock said, disappointed.

Blues sighed. "No, Rocky, he's not."

"Hah!" Bass laughed. "Little blueberry is being replaced. This is almost too good for words!"

"Shut it, Bass!" Rock snapped. "Father would never replace me!"

Bass just scoffed.

"How did you find us, anyway, Blues?" Rock said, ignoring the black robot. "Were you caught by Bass' weapon, too?"

"No, I wasn't," Blues replied. He lowered his voice as they halted at a crosswalk, waiting for a large hovertruck to pass. "When I saw you two disappear, I went back to the lab and told Dr. Light. It's only thanks to Bass telling us the name of his weapon that we were able to figure out what happened to you."

The walk light turned green and the three continued their journey, Blues still explaining in low tones. Few passerby gave them more than a cursory glance. "I'm sure you remember Flash Man, Rock. Wily seems to have upgraded his old weapon and shoved it in Bass." Bass nodded. "But the design wasn't sufficient to handle that much power. That, or Wily installed it incorrectly."

"How'd I know he'd find some way to screw all of this up?" Bass sighed.

"The beating we gave you," Blues said to Bass, with a hint of a smile, "plus Rock's final charged shot, overloaded the TimeStopper and caused a massive temporal flux, flinging you both through time."

"But how did you get here?" Rock asked. "And how'd you find us at Maverick Hunter Headquarters once you arrived?"

"One question at a time, Rocky," Blues said. "Once Dr. Light analyzed the anomaly and discovered its cause, he built a device to simulate the event exactly as it happened. He then developed a way to reverse the effect, so I could travel here and rescue you. As for finding you..." Blues smirked. "The doc stuck an emergency tracking signal in you long ago. He gave me this," he pulled a small device from a pocket sewn inside his belt, "so that even if our communicators and teleporters didn't work here in the future, which they don't since the satellites we use for them are probably long gone, I'd be able to locate you."

"So we can go home?" Rock said, excitedly.

"As soon as we get back to the time machine," Blues answered. "It was way too big for me to carry around, unfortunately. The doc was in a bit of a hurry building it."

"Where is it?" Bass asked.

"Back in that run-down district," Blues said. "Hid it in an old warehouse."

"Then let's get back," Bass said, quickening his pace so the others had to speed up as well. "This time-travel stuff is too weird for me."

"But, even once we get back," Rock asked, hesitantly, "Couldn't this happen again? What if Dr. Wily..."

"I'm not going to tell him," said Bass.

Rock looked at him, surprised. "Bass...?"

"The thing malfunctioned," Bass said, still looking straight ahead. "Nothing happened. I got beat by you again. That's all."

"...Thank you, Bass," said Rock quietly.

Bass just rolled his eyes. "Ah, save it, Mega Man. I'm only doing this so I can get some time to play my video games. If Wily found out about time-travel, it'd be nothing but work."

"Hm. Well, enjoy yourself, then," Blues said, his expression unreadable behind his visor.

They continued down the street, passing buildings and businesses. Finally, Rock spoke again.

"What I find troubling is... why didn't we see our future selves here?" The other two didn't answer. "I mean... we saw X, but he didn't recognize me. Or you, Blues."

"...That's something I'd rather not think about," Bass said finally.

"We are a hundred years into the future," Blues said, frowning slightly. "But you're right, it is unnerving."

"Jeez, don't get all fatalistic on me," Bass said, as the mood darkened considerably. "I may be your enemy, but... damn."

"Aww, Bass, you care about what happens to us," Blues teased. "That's sweet."

"No!" Bass exclaimed. "I just... well... Mega Man can't die unless it's me doing the killing!"

"Sure," said Blues.

"We understand," said Rock, smiling.

"I hate you both... so much," Bass muttered.

"Let's just get back," Blues said. "We can finish this later."

"With busters," Bass snapped.

Blues just shook his head and sighed.

---

The three continued walking, slipping past the barricade and into the abandoned district. They traveled in silence, none wanting to further ponder the disturbing future they had glimpsed. They finally reached the area Rock had first appeared in, and Blues turned into a nearby abandoned warehouse. Weak light filtered though gaps in the ceiling, giving interior a misty, ethereal glow.

"Here, this is where I left it," said Blues, his voice magnified by the empty space. Rock looked around.

"I don't see anything."

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Bass asked.

"Yeah," Blues said, pointing to a twisted column of fallen metal. "I remember that. It was right here before..."

"Well, it isn't now," Bass said.

Blues walked over to the column, inspected it carefully, and then growled softly and slammed his fist against the metal. Rock was startled by the open display of frustration. Blues rarely showed more emotion than amusement and mild concern.

"Damn. Something must have taken it," the red robot muttered, leaning his forehead against the column.

"What're we going to do, Blues?" Rock asked hesitantly.

"I honestly have no idea, Rock," Blues answered monotonously, without turning.

"I never thought I'd actually see the day," Bass said. Blues didn't answer.

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Blues," Rock said softly, putting a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder. "We'll be all right."

"This district doesn't exactly seem friendly," Bass said skeptically. "It could be a pile of scrap by now."

"Don't say stuff like that!" Rock said, alarmed.

Bass shrugged. "Well, it'd explain why X didn't know you, wouldn't it? If we couldn't ever get home…"

"Don't _say_ that!" Rock shouted.

Blues sighed, and straightened. "Rock, Bass, don't panic," he said. Rock was relieved to see his normal composure returning. "I caused this, so I'm gonna get us out of it."

"Who's panicking?" Bass sniffed. "I'm certainly not!"

"But what can we do?" Rock asked. "We're all alone… unless we can ask X for help finding our time machine…"

"Getting too involved with him could affect the timeline," Blues warned.

"So? It won't be affecting _us_," Bass challenged. "And I'm not staying in this… post-apocalyptic waste the rest of my life." He waved his arm, indicating the ruins around him. "Besides, what if this is all somehow part of history and we're supposed to ask for X's help?"

"Time travel is confusing," Rock sighed.

"…I suppose this is our only option right now," Blues said. "Let's head back to X… but we should try to think of some way of getting his help without revealing who we are."

"Well, he doesn't know our full names," Rock said. "We just need an explanation for our machine."

"It could be… a special part we're picking up for our creator," Bass suggested.

"Hopefully, he'll buy that," Blues said, somewhat skeptically.

Bass scoffed. "He's a Light-bot, how intelligent can he be?"

"Funny, Bass," replied Blues dryly. "But it's worth a shot. Let's go."

------

A man staggered into the third floor officer's lounge, lugging a large, rectangular object. He dropped it onto the table, rattling the dirty dishes scattered across its surface. X, who was attempting to clean the sink and making no progress, looked up.

"Hey, Zero," he greeted the newcomer. "Where've you been?"

"Yeah, I haven't seen you since that impromptu mission yesterday," Axl said, switching off the television. Though he was not a commander like X and Zero, as the only other hunter to be awarded Sigma-, or S- Class status, he was entitled to use the lounge. Not like anyone would have bothered to stop him, though. For a military organization, the Maverick Hunters were very lax, and the whole group had become more like a family than an office or soldier unit. It was a family that frequently lost and added members, but a family nonetheless.

"I've been around," said Zero vaguely, brushing golden bangs from his blue eyes. His immensely long hair was pulled back in a five-foot ponytail as usual, and it brushed the ground as he sat in one of the battered metal kitchen chairs to examine the object he'd carted in. X abandoned the sink and walked to stand behind his friend.

"What is that thing?" he asked, staring at the metal box. It was large and rectangular, with various knobs and dials sticking out from the surface at random intervals.

"Dunno." Zero shrugged. "Found it in a warehouse in Sector 6."

"Were you hunting Mavericks by yourself again?" X said, disapproval dropping from every syllable.

Zero rolled his eyes. "Hey, I had to blow off some steam, you know?"

"That's what the training rooms are for."

"Not exciting enough," Zero said. He fiddled with a knob on the side of the box.

"Should you be doing that?" Axl asked, leaving the couch and approaching the two older hunters. "It looks kind of dangerous, don't you think?"

"It could be a bomb, Zero," X said, worried. "Why did you bring it back here?"

"I doubt it," Zero said, with a dismissive wave. "It's not ticking or anything."

"It doesn't have to tick to be a bomb!"

"Don't be so paranoid, X," Axl said. "It's probably nothing."

"But we still don't know what this thing is," X replied.

"It looks rather old," Zero said, examining the dials on the object's face. The thing looked hastily constructed, and the parts were much less streamlined than they were used to.

"I still think you shouldn't be messing with it," X said.

"It hasn't done anything yet," Zero said, with a shrug. "Maybe we should get the tech department to look at it?"

"All right…" X sighed. "Just, if it does anything suspicious…"

"It'll be fine, X," Zero said, grinning at him. "Trust me."

"Why does that not reassure me?" X muttered, as Zero lifted the device and began carrying it out the door, heading to the base's technology development center.

------

The crowds inside Maverick Hunter HQ were still thin when Rock, Bass, and Blues arrived back. They entered without incident and looked around for a familiar face.

"I don't see X anywhere," Bass said, scanning the room.

"Look, Alia's still at the information desk," Rock said, pointing to the blonde girl, who looked very irritated to be still stuck in the lobby. "We can ask her."

Alia looked up as they approached. "Oh, hello again!" she said, smiling. "I didn't expect you'd be back! Is there something the matter?"

"Actually, we need to speak with X, if he's not busy," Rock said. "Something else has come up."

"X is off duty right now, so he's… probably up in his office doing paperwork." She sighed. "He's going to work himself to death one of these days… His office is on the second floor, room B112. Just turn right from the elevator and you can't miss it. I'll page him and tell him you're coming."

"Thank you very much, Miss Alia," Blues said politely.

"It's nothing," she said. "And please just call me Alia."

------

X's office was small and as impeccably neat as his apartment. A faux-wood desk faced the door, the laptop resting on the top along with two trays labeled "out" and "in". There were a large number of papers in the out box, but an even larger amount in the in. Beside the desk was a wastepaper basket, and a couch ran along another wall. There were a few comfortably padded chairs facing X's desk, as well. The window in the back was open, letting the fading afternoon sunlight into the room. The smog of the city made dusk come early.

X sat behind the desk, still in his blue armor, filling out a form of some kind. Axl was also in the room, doing absolutely nothing. Both looked up as the trio entered.

"Hello, again," X greeted them. "Alia said you were coming. Is there a problem?"

"Yes, actually," said Blues. He paused, considering how best to phrase this. "As you may have noted, we aren't from this area… We were sent here by our creator to pick up a device he needs for his research."

"But when we got separated," Rock continued, "Blues had to leave it behind to come look for us, and when we came back… it had disappeared."

"We can't go back home without it," Bass added.

"We're sorry to impose on you like this," Blues apologized, "but we really don't know anyone in the city and didn't know where else to turn."

"It's not a problem at all, Blues," X said, smiling. "I'd be glad to help."

"Me too!" piped up Axl, sitting upright. "Not like I have anything better to do."

"What does this missing device look like?" X asked. "I can send out a request for everyone to be on the lookout for it."

"Well, it's like a very heavy box," Blues said, holding his arms apart to indicate the size. "With knobs and dials on the sides."

X blinked, then looked at Axl. "You don't think..."

"That does sound like it..."

"You know something?" Rock asked, watching them.

"One of our friends brought in something similar a short while ago," X explained. "None of us were able to figure out what it was."

"And where is it now?" Blues asked.

"He took it to the tech department for testing," Axl replied.

"May we have a look at it?"

"Certainly," said X, standing up. "I'll escort you there."

"I'll come too—" Axl began, but X halted him, looking up at the clock.

"Weren't you supposed to meet Signas at 16:30?"

"Yeah..."

"It's 16:45 now."

"...Crap." Axl ran from the office.

X shook his head and laughed. "Well, come on then," he said, motioning for the three time-travelers to follow.

------

X led them down another corridor and through a skywalk that connected the main building with one of the smaller wings. They passed few other Hunters on the way. It seemed this portion of the complex wasn't well traveled.

Rock was rather nervous as they walked. X was his brother, but X didn't know that, and though the Hunter was certainly friendly, there was still a professionalism in his manner that made the little robot feel uneasy and a bit… sad. Rock had fought many battles, but what X was involved in appeared to be far more dangerous. It seemed what he was facing was not a lone madman, but a full-scale insurrection of rogue robots. Rock didn't know what the full situation of this world was, but he was sure his brother had seen far more violence than he deserved.

The group was passing a row of indoor greenhouses, lush plants obscuring the glass windows, when alarms suddenly began blaring, shrill and insistent. Behind them, a door leading to a catwalk slammed shut. A voice flared to life over an intercom.

"Emergency. Emergency. Intruders have been detected in sector 2B. The area is now in automatic shutdown. All available Hunters, please report. This is not a drill. I repeat, this is not a drill."

"Mavericks in HQ?" X said, startled. "How... 2B... that's this building." He reached for his communicator, but it had already switched on with a burst of static.

"_X! There's been a break-in near the tech center,_" came Alia's voice, blurred by the connection. _"Our scanners report you're in the sector_."

"That's right, I'm on my way there now," X replied.

"_There are Mavericks all over the place," _Alia warned, "_and there may be a Maverick General around, also. Be on your guard_."

"I will."

"_Zero reported he's in the area, so try and rendezvous with him. There is a squadron of other hunters on another floor so I'm sending them to secure the auxiliary control room in this building_. _Your objective should be to find and take out the Maverick General._"

"Roger that, Alia."

"_Be careful, X._"

"I always am. X out." He closed the link, and turned to the trio.

"You three should find someplace to hole up," he said. "I have to go after their leader."

"But we can help!" Rock protested.

X shook his head. "You'll only be in the way. Please. I'm experienced at this."

Bass scowled. "Hey, blue boy, we can handle ourselves in a fight. No way we're sitting around like kitchen appliances while nutcases run around the building. Besides, if the tech center is under attack, our device might get caught in the crossfire. We can't risk getting it destroyed."

"I won't be able to protect you all in a firefight," X said.

"You won't have to," Rock replied.

"Rock..." Blues began, but Rock glared at him, then turned his gaze to X. The blue hunter sighed.

"...I don't have time to argue!" he said, turning to run down the corridor. "Come if you must, just make sure not to get yourselves hurt!"

* * *


	5. It's About Time

* * *

CHAPTER FIVE

_It's About Time_

_

* * *

_

The corridors were bathed in red light as X and his three companions raced towards the maintenance lab. After a time, the alert sirens shut off, only fueling Rock's worry.

The lab door was open when they arrived. Of course, this was because it had been blasted out of its frame and now lay on the ground in several small fragments. X ignored the wreckage and ran into the room, buster armed and beginning to charge. The others followed with their own weapons ready.

The room beyond was a fairly large maintenance facility, with capsules containing various types of armor, bits of mechaniloids, and computer terminals scattered around the floor space. It looked as though it would be cluttered under normal circumstances, but now it was a certifiable disaster zone. Lab desks and workstations were overturned or destroyed. The computer monitors were smashed, fires still burning in some of the cores, and anything that hadn't been bolted down was now on the floor—along with a few things that had. Damaged ceiling lights lent an eerie glow to the room, the red emergency lights only adding to the macabre atmosphere.

In the center of it all, sprawled face down amid the overturned contents of a tool chest, was a male green-armored reploid. He was still and silent, though there were no immediately obvious signs of injury. Hunched over him was another male reploid. Rock raised his buster slightly, before realizing that the second man's face was drawn in deep concern and he was checking his fallen comrade for damage. A quick glance of his eyes acknowledged the existence of the newcomers. Rock recognized him from X's photographs- this was the elusive Zero.

X approached, his buster lowered and eyes filled with worry. "Zero, is Douglas…?"

The man shook his head, making the immense blonde ponytail that trailed behind him ripple. "It's okay, X. He's just unconscious."

The blue Hunter let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness. But where's the intruder?"

"I don't know." Zero rose and turned towards the company. He was an imposing sight in the half-lit room. He was taller than X, with blue eyes, the aforementioned blonde ponytail, and an impossibly handsome face that looked like his creator might have stolen from a statue of some Greek god. His armor was bright crimson, the color of human blood. Two green lights, glowing now in the shadows, adorned his chest armor. His helmet was crimson as well, tapering into points on either side of his head that gave his shadow on the far wall demonic-looking horns. The top of the helmet was grey, with a glowing, triangular shaped blue jewel. "I just got here a moment ago myself," he continued, scanning the room. "I didn't see anyone on the way, so…"

"I must still be here," a sinister-sounding voice said from one of the darkened corners of the room. When the surprised group turned their heads, the figure leapt from the shadows and onto one of the few remaining lab desks, looking down upon them menacingly. His armor was purple, a gigantic cannon pointed over his right shoulder. A full helmet with a T-shaped slit for his eyes hid his expression. Obviously, this was one of the Mavericks.

"Vile!" X said, immediately arming his X-Buster.

"So good to see you, X. And you, Zero," the man now identified as Vile stated, sarcasm lining his voice like poison on a knife.

Without thinking, Bass quickly made a retort. "Hey, who's the Boba Fett cosplayer?"

Vile's head swiveled to the black robot. "A real jokester, this one," he snorted disdainfully. "I am Vile, one of Sigma's top commanders. And I'm not here to talk. Get out of my way, or I'll force you out of it!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing, breaking into our headquarters?" Zero demanded, reaching to his back where a small cyndrilical object protruded from a box attached to his armor. He held it like a sword hilt and thumbed a small button. A blue-green shaft of light sprung from the handle. Rock's eyes widened as Zero twirled the energy sword experimentally, then sunk into a guard position.

The purple Maverick folded his arms contemptuously. "I'm merely following my orders. Sigma needs certain data to aid in his resurrection... which your pathetic Hunters have stored away. The security on this place was laughably easy to crack, and if that idiot there hadn't managed to sound the alarm before he tripped over his own feet and went offline, I'd be long gone by now."

Bass made a dismissive noise. "Hey, look who thinks he's all that and a bag of chips."

"Damn right I am, fish-boy." Vile returned, pointing at him. His voice reflected a strange playful anger, as though he were eager to prove it.

The Wily-bot snorted. "At least I'm not dolled up like a science fiction character. Don't you have a convention to be attending?"

"Forte, don't tease the Maverick," X muttered, with a look of exasperation. It was like hearing two children bicker.

"Yeah, this is typically when we _blast_ the Maverick," Zero said. He motioned for Vile to attack him, trying to provoke the fight. His eyes had a glint that mirrored the eager tone in Vile's voice.

"I've killed you once, Zero. I can easily do it again," Vile said, his hand morphing into a gun which he pointed at the crimson Hunter. Zero did not so much as blink.

X, however, took a step forward and began charging his weapon. "And I've killed you _three_ times, Vile. I can easily do that again, too."

Vile turned his head ever so slightly. "I've grown far stronger since our last encounter, Mega Man X. Go ahead and try!"

"That sounds a lot like an invitation," Blues said, adjusting his scarf before arming his Proto Buster.

"Let's kick his ass!" Bass shouted.

"We're with you, X! We won't let him get away!" Rock chimed in.

"Hmph. Very well, let us begin!" Vile leapt from his table before the last words left his mouth and unleashed his machine-gun like buster cannon at Zero. The Hunter dashed out of the way and took cover behind another overturned desk, the plasma bullets impacting the opposite wall. Vile immediately turned his shoulder cannon on X, launching a flurry of small missiles.

X strafed sideways as the projectiles approached. He sent his charged shot at the leading rocket, and in the chain reaction, the following missiles exploded as well. Now without a charge, X followed up with four rapid regular shots.

The Maverick jumped to the side to avoid the first pair of bullets and then rolled forward to slip beneath the last two. With a grunt, he jumped back to his feet and snapped off a few rounds of his machine buster at Bass, who now was the closest. The black Wily-bot had no trouble dodging the attacks by crouching.

Mega Man watched Vile press the attack. Though he had missed before, it didn't look like the Maverick was anywhere near giving up the fight. Rock desperately wanted to cover Bass, but he couldn't get a clear shot from his position. With a quick turn, Vile unleashed a barrage of missiles at Bass.

Bass' red eyes widened when he saw the salvo speed toward him. He dashed to the side, but the missiles continued to track him. He uttered a curse under his breath as he leapt into the air. There was a large mainframe in front of him, and with a fluid pulse from his leg jets, he vaulted over and took cover behind it. The missiles impacted and exploded violently against the mainframe, obliterating it. The shockwave sent Bass sprawling to the ground.

Before Vile could press the assault once again, Rock lined up a clear shot and discharged his weapon and hit home. Though the plasma blast did no obvious damage to Vile's armor, it shook him and diverted his attention. "Why you snot-nosed little brat…" Vile growled, spinning to face him. Rock could see the rage building in his foe, and he soon found himself looking down the barrels of Vile's weapons.

"Snot-nosed! Oh yeah! Well… you wear stupid purple armor!" Rock retorted. He scowled, and pointed his Mega Buster at Vile to show he wasn't afraid. Truthfully, he was, but that wouldn't stop him from staying in the fight.

"A real brilliant one, you are," Vile muttered, firing his buster at him. With a quick slide, Rock slipped underneath the shots, then stood up and made a face at the Maverick.

"You couldn't hit a skyscraper aiming that way, you stupid Maverick!"

"What!" Vile demanded. Rock watched as Vile balled his free fist tightly. "Fine! Dodge this!" The Maverick brought his shoulder cannon down, and launched a powerful blast of energy toward him. He swiftly dodged to the side, but only just barely; he could feel the heat of the plasma rush past him as it exploded into the far wall of the laboratory.

While Vile's attention was diverted away from him, Zero leapt from his cover right for the purple Maverick. Leading with his beam saber, he swung his glowing blade down at the violet warrior. His victim barely caught sight of him before he connected. Activating his own emergency acceleration system, Vile blasted out of the way hurriedly and stumbled back around to face Zero. The red Hunter skidded to a halt and spun around for another go at his foe.

After the near miss, Rock watched as Vile simply dodged and sidestepped each of Zero's graceful swings. He leapt over tables and around various other obstructions as Zero pressed his attack, but the red Hunter was showing no signs of giving in. Astonished at Vile's surprising speed, Mega Man cursed his Mega Buster for not charging faster so he could give cover fire.

"What? Is this all there is, Zero?" Vile snorted. "Sad." He executed a sweeping maneuver to dodge the saber and sent a cannon blast to Zero's chest. It rocked the red Hunter backward, and Vile prepared his buster to follow up the attack. Zero braced for another injury, but instead a golden plasma blast struck Vile from behind.

"Good shot, Blues!" Rock exclaimed, as Vile recovered.

The Maverick swung about, turning to face the gray robot who had just shot him. Without hesitation, he used his shoulder cannon to unleash two bursts of energy at him. Proto Man quickly dove to a prone position to avoid the screaming blasts of plasma. Though it was a rushed move, he had executed it with such grace that the moment the second shot cleared him, he pushed himself right back to his feet.

"Not bad," Vile said, sounding slightly impressed at his foe's feat. "Now, try this." The barrel of his shoulder cannon began to glow, and he dashed forward toward Proto Man and fired. The gray-clad robot managed to slip away by diving to the side, though the shot grazed the armor on his leg.

"Blues!" Rock shouted, but his voice was muted out by Zero's battle cry as he threw himself at Vile again.

The Maverick was caught off guard from the side by the sudden onslaught. The Z-Saber left a visible mark in the purple villain's armor as it made contact. "Back off!" Vile snarled, smashing Zero in the jaw with his fist. There was a loud clang of metal against metal and Zero stumbled backwards from the force of the blow. The Hunter ended up squarely on the floor with a heavy crash. However, Rock and X didn't let Vile capitalize on this; a charged blast from the Mega Buster and from the X-Buster rocked and stunned him briefly. Immediately thereafter, a series of rapid fire shots from the Bass Buster followed, and Vile was sent sprawling on top of the fallen Zero.

"Get off of me, you rust bucket!" Zero fumed, punching the weakened section of Vile's armor with his fist. The blow flung Vile off of him, and the crimson Hunter sprang to his feet immediately. While the Maverick remained on the ground, he tried to stab down at him.

Before the sword came down, Vile swiftly rolled to the side and watched as his beam saber cut into the metal floor in a shower of sparks. When Zero tried to withdraw his saber, Vile retaliated with a buster shot to the Hunter's chest. It did little damage, but bought enough time for Vile to scramble to his feet.

As he did so, however, a surge of electricity crackled from the dent in his armor. The purple Maverick visibly faltered; he staggered back a little and put a hand to his injury. With a grunt, Vile turned his head to the blue Hunter. "D-don't think you've stopped me, Mega Man X!"

"Stand down, Vile," X said, his buster trained on the Maverick's chest. "There's no need for you to die again."

Vile took a step back, but laughed mockingly. "You're so cocky. The time you've spent trading blows with me has only given me my avenue of escape!" He folded his arms. "By now, the other Mavericks have reached your control center and disabled the teleporter lock on this building!"

"What?" Zero demanded.

Vile gave him a quick bow and an arrogant chuckle, continuing to walk backwards. "And so, I bid you farewell..." He was now backed against a table. Sitting there was a heavy metal box and a small closed container. Blues made a small noise as the Maverick scooped up the objects. "Sigma will be very pleased with the toys I'm bringing him!"

X launched a charged shot at Vile, but before it could connect, the Maverick had vanished in a violet column of energy.

"Damn!" X muttered, slamming his hand on a nearby lab table.

Zero disabled his beam saber and with a snarl of frustration, kicked an already overturned desk. The metal splintered and contorted under the force of the blow. "Next time I see him, I swear, I'm going to rip that helmet off his head and beat him to death with it!"

His tirade was interrupted by a sound from still figure on the ground. "X?... Zero?"

"Douglas!" X exclaimed, disengaging his X-Buster and rushing over. "You're awake! Are you okay? Are you badly damaged?"

"Vile… he…" the green-armored man muttered, still obviously dazed. He pushed himself onto his elbows and shook his head. There was a dent in his helmet where Vile must have struck him from behind.

"We know. He's gone now, but he stole something when he left," X replied. "Do you know what it was?"

"Some data from the computer, he tried to force me to access it for him," Douglas replied wearily. "And some parts, I think." The man took X's offered hand and slowly rose to his feet. His balance was shaky at best; the damage dealt to him was enough to upset his gyroscopic stabilizers. He leaned on X's shoulder to steady himself. "I don't know what the data was, but the parts aren't too terribly vital. Just some experimental things I was working on..." Rubbing the back of his head, he continued. "I'm more worried that he'll break them. They're very fragile. I'll bet that idiot has already ruined half of the components…"

X sighed in relief. "Well, that's good news, I suppose. So he didn't manage to steal anything too important?"

"Probably not, I don't think we had anything in the computers that would be critical," he replied, slowly managing to get his bearings back. Auto-repair was already returning functionality to his stabilizers.

"No," said Blues, shaking his head. "He did take something important. He took our device."

Zero blinked. "Your device?"

"That peculiar box you brought in, Zero," X said, looking at Blues, his tone filled with concern. "Vile did take it, didn't he? I thought the thing he was holding looked familiar. And that's what you three are looking for?"

Blues nodded. "That was it."

Rock's eyes widened. "No!" he exclaimed, dejection rapidly filling his voice. Bass looked similarly dismayed, though he voiced no opinion.

Douglas looked thoughtfully up to the ceiling as his balance finally returned enough for him to remove himself from X's shoulder. "I wonder why he even wanted that relic," he said. "My scans didn't reveal much, save that it was really old; probably from around 20XX."

"What I want to know is," said Rock slowly, suddenly remembering something, "who is this Sigma guy Vile kept talking about?" The name had been mentioned several times in X's novel, but he hadn't understood the reference. The scorpion Maverick had mentioned Sigma, as well.

As soon as the words left his mouth, Rock realized that had been the wrong thing to say. X, Zero, and Douglas turned and stared incredulously at him.

"You're kidding me," Zero said, sounding dumbfounded. "You mean you haven't heard of Sigma? Ever? _The_ Sigma?"

"Well, we're…" Bass stammered, as he tried to find an excuse suitable enough to throw the Hunters off. "We're from overseas!" He forced a smile that looked more nervous than genuine.

Blues shot a glare at Bass, but through his visor, it was all but invisible. Nonetheless, he had no choice but to try to keep up the façade Bass had just given them. "Our creator kept us pretty sheltered," he explained. "This is our first trip so far away from him."

Zero arched an eyebrow. "Still… not knowing about Sigma? I thought every Reploid in the world…" he trailed off, his expression flooded with confusion.

"Don't be too hard on them, Zero," X said. "They can't have been activated for very long."

The younger looking Blue Bomber laughed in response. "Yeah, we are pretty new to this world, that's for sure!"

"That's an interesting way of putting it," X replied, looking thoughtful.

"Hey, it works," Bass said, with a curt shrug. He obviously wanted to cut off this conversation now, before Rock slipped up again and said one thing too many.

"So, your friend here is called Zero, then," Blues said, pointing at him.

"Yup, that's me," the blonde warrior replied, a grin tugging at his lips. "Commander of the 0th Maverick Hunter battalion. I'd think that you'd heard of me, but considering you've never heard of Sigma…"

"Our creator doesn't care very much about world events," Rock said.

"It's naïve of him. But who are we to complain? It's his choice, anyway." Bass said, walking over closer to X and Douglas.

Zero grunted a noise of acknowledgement. "Guess it takes all kinds, then. Well, you know my name. What're yours, then?"

"I'm Rock!" he chimed, happily. "That's Forte, and he's Blues! Nice to meet you all."

"It's a pleasure," said Douglas. "You've heard my name already, but I'm Douglas, the head mechanic for the Hunters. I'm sorry to meet you under such distressing circumstances..."

"It's all right," Blues mumbled lightly. Rock glanced over at his brother. He could tell the older robot was troubled by this new development, though outwardly his face was impassive, emotions guarded by the black visor. Rock knew, however, that Blues was most likely pondering the same questions he was. It figured that the psychotic Maverick would take the one thing they needed to get home. Now they were stuck here chatting with a group of robots they didn't know and couldn't trust with the truth. What were they supposed to do? Vile was far stronger than they were, and even with all three of them, there would be no way they could bring him down. Their weapons were designed for 20XX, not the highly armored enemies of this future. Zero and X were the only ones who could damage Vile enough to stop him. Things were beginning to look grim, and both Rock and Blues' outlook for the whole ordeal was becoming progressively darker.

"Anyway," X said, breaking the short silence. "Normally, I'd say forget about Vile for now, considering he didn't steal anything too valuable..." The Hunter glanced quickly at his guests. Worry and impatience were spread on Rock and Forte's faces, but he couldn't get a feel for Blues' emotions with the dark visor shielding his eyes. "But, this artifact seems pretty important to you three."

"It is," Blues said.

"Very, very important!" Rock added, nodding his head to emphasize each word.

"You might even say life-threateningly so," added Bass.

A look of surprise washed over Zero's face again, and he asked the inevitable question. "What exactly does that thing do?"

Rock glanced at Bass, who turned to Blues, who looked back at Rock. They all tried to begin to answer, but couldn't come up with anything more than a few uneasy noises.

"You have no idea, do you?" Zero demanded, frustrated. "How could it be 'life threatening' if you don't even know what it does?"

"We have to get it back. All we know is our creator said that machine is very important and we have to see it delivered safely to him!" Rock shot back.

X observed the urgency in the boy's voice, and the clarity and earnest sense of worry in his eyes. "We should give them a hand, Zero," he said, looking over to his friend and smiling. "It's the purpose of the Maverick Hunters to help those in need, after all."

"Really? You'll help us?" Rock said, his expression brightening immediately.

Zero looked from Rock to X. He shrugged, with an amused grin. "Ah, heck. Why not?"

"Then it's settled. We'll trace Vile's teleporter signal and follow him," said X, confidently.

"Will you be okay, Douglas?" Zero asked, looking at the still shaken mechanic. "Do you need me to take you down to maintenance?"

"No, I'll be fine," the reploid replied. "I'll head down there after you guys leave. I can make it, no problem."

"Good," said Zero, turning to X. "Well, there's no time to waste. Let's head for the teleporters, we can call to get Vile's signal traced on the way." He headed for the door. The other Hunter and the three wayward travelers followed quickly on his heels as he dashed into the hallway, back toward the core of Hunter Headquarters.

As they headed away from the lab, Rock saw X bring two fingers to the black ring on the side of his helmet. Rock heard a chime, and the Hunter began speaking. "Alia? Are you there? Are you all right?" X's eyes narrowed as he awaited a reply. A moment later, his expression brightened considerably, but it quickly returned to being serious. "Zero, get on the communicator," X ordered, looking over to his friend. The other Reploid did as told, and pressed his fingers to the side of his helmet as well.

"Douglas was attacked," X said calmly, after listening to Alia speak for a moment. "Thankfully, he's just a little shaken up, and he'll be fine with a little rest." X's face soured again, and his tone grew equally as dark as he addressed Alia over the radio. "But we ran into an old friend in there." There was a pause, during which Zero visibly resisted cutting in on the conversation between the two. "Looks like Vile is back from the dead again. I need you to put a trace on his teleporter signal. He got away from us, but not before we roughed him up some."

Another pause, as X and Zero listened to Alia's response. The booted feet of the five robots pinged on the metal floor. "Well," Zero said finally, breaking the silence, "he intends on bringing back another old friend of ours..." His tone was more serious than even X's. Rock nearly froze. The crimson hunter's voice was quite intimidating; and he wasn't even trying to sound that way. Truly, Sigma must be excessively dangerous if someone as powerful as Zero was worried about him.

There was a long silence after Zero's statement. Then the two Hunters exchanged glances, and Zero gave a quick nod to his friend.

"Sigma, yeah," X answered the radio. "Vile stole some sort of technical data from Douglas' lab. Aside from that, he managed to take some experimental equipment and that thing Zero found earlier today." Another brief pause followed, and the blue Hunter continued. "I don't know. Though we did find its owners, and it looks to be very important to them. ...Rock and his brothers, yes. I'm going to give them a hand in recovering it." X winced as a garbled voice emerged from the depths of his helmet. From the expressions on his and Zero's faces, Rock guessed Alia was yelling at one or both of them over the comlink.

There was a disgruntled sound from the crimson Hunter. Zero furrowed his brow and pressed his fingers harder into the side of his helmet. "Hey! What am I, a solar calculator?" he indignantly demanded, cutting off the squawking from his communicator. "I'm going too, you know!"

"No, Zero, you're not a calculator," X said, turning to him with a smug smile tugging at his lips. "You make way too many mistakes on your paperwork for that."

"Hate you all so much." Zero muttered, deactivating his communicator. "Everyone's a comedian in this outfit."

"You're one to talk, Zero." X returned, but he quickly turned back to his previous conversation. "We'll be all right, Alia. Just get those coordinates to the teleporter room right away." Again, a short pause. "Thanks, Alia."

There was an audible but soft click as X removed his fingers from the side of his helmet. He turned his head to look at the trailing robots behind him. "You have nothing to worry about, guys. Once we get the coordinates locked in, we can beam there and get back your machine. I assume you three want to come with us?"

"Of course!" Bass shot back, his voice anxious and excited. Rock noticed a sly grin curl on his rival's face. His red eyes glinted with excitement, signaling Bass' appetite for battle had not yet been whetted. Sometimes he was so unbelievably aggressive, it boggled the young robot's mind.

Holding back a frustrated sigh, Rock quickly turned back to X. "We won't let you down! You can count on us!"

"You three handled yourselves really well back there," Zero said, not turning to face them. "I'm very impressed that the three of you could handle staying alive against Vile. That's no mean feat."

"Thanks," Bass said, the smug smile still at his lips. Mega Man rolled his eyes this time. The Wily-bot was enjoying this! The realization frustrated him a great deal. They weren't here to fight! They were trying to get home! Rock frowned wordlessly, and tried to focus on running faster. After all, berating Bass would accomplish nothing, and probably only serve to slow them down.

After several moments more of running full tilt through the Hunter Headquarters, they reached a set of automatic steel double doors. On them was written "Teleportation Room" in bold blue letters. Next to the oversized door, there was a small control panel with several green buttons. X pushed the one closest to the door, and the large steel panels slid into the walls with a soft hiss.

"Come on, you three. Go on in," Zero said, motioning for them to go inside. Rock nodded once in response and led inside with Blues and Bass not far behind him. The chamber was large and octagonal, with a series of platforms in the center of the room. Computers lined the back and side walls, and all the monitors flashed with various status screens, maps, and protocols. They would almost be seizure inducing for a human if the lights were out.

In front of the platforms, which Rock assumed to be the teleporters, there was a large metal control panel. A young looking Reploid stood behind it, punching buttons and flipping switches quickly. His brown eyes darted back and forth between the instruments as he worked. The man was of thin build, and he wore a dark green uniform. He looked up when he caught the motion of visitors into his chamber.

"Yo, X!" he shouted, eyes darting between him and his control panel. He raised an eyebrow upon spotting Rock, Bass, and Blues. "Who're the rookies? And what's with the kid?" His voice was thick with a heavy accent that reminded Rock of 19XX-era gangsters from Chicago or New York. "This ain't a playground. And I'm sure as heck not playin' babysitter for tykes while you go thrash Vile."

"They're going with us," X replied, walking toward the platform.

"What are you, nuts?" the Reploid returned, spinning from his console. He let out a heavy sigh. "You are. Figures. I think the eighth war knocked a screw loose in you or something."

"Don't concern yourself over it, Scotty," Zero replied, dismissively waving his hand at the Reploid operator. "These guys are with us. There's nothing to worry about."

"Whatever. Alia traced Vile's signal for you guys. Go and get onto the transporter pads and I'll send you there." X and Zero obeyed and took the two platforms closest to Scotty's terminal. Rock, Bass, and Blues took up positions behind them on separate platforms.

"Where are we headed?" X asked.

"Looks like some abandoned facility several miles outside of the city limits. Place sounds like a real dump. Have fun with that," he sardonically replied while rolling his eyes. "I don't envy you guys at all. You have a pretty sucky job." He flipped a few switches and pushed several buttons and looked back.

"Don't worry about us. We'll be careful," Zero said. "Now hurry it up. Time is a factor here."

"Yeah, yeah. Keep your freakin' ponytail on. I'm almost done." He pushed a few more buttons and looked back. "There we go. Good luck to you guys. And make sure to give that purple palooka a punch in the face for me." With a quick button push, the five robots were transformed into columns of light, and flung outside of the city.

------

As Rock landed and returned to his physical form, he caught sight of their target. Scotty was right. The place was a dump. It looked like a worn-down old warehouse, glass windows long smashed in, plasma burns all over the outside cinderblock walls, graffiti spray-painted on every surface. There was junk and litter everywhere outside; twisted metal debris being the most common. Rock jokingly imagined the fragments looked like rejected lawn gnomes.

"…This is Vile's base?" Bass demanded disdainfully as he surveyed the unlikely fortress.

"Apparently so. This is where we tracked him," X replied, with a shrug. "But we shouldn't judge this place by its appearance. Let's go have a look. Stay alert, everyone."

"Right behind you," Blues said, letting Zero take point with X not far behind.

They crossed through the debris field and into the building with little effort. The inside was as dilapidated as the outside, with crumbling walls, more graffiti, and the ever present trash. A stench of rotten garbage and sulfur perforated the building, and it made Rock feel ill. This place smelled worse than Junk Man's hideout from the seventh Robot Master uprising—and that took some doing. The rooms were crumbling, and everything looked so old that Rock was amazed the building hadn't collapsed on its own.

"Uh, yeah. I'll bet Vile's using this place as a hideout. Really brilliant," Bass muttered, folding his arms impatiently. "Are you sure you locked in the coordinates correctly?" His voice was condescending, very nearly mocking in tone.

X frowned, his eyes narrowing. "Alia's been doing this for years, Forte. She's one of the best the Hunters has to offer at this job. I'm telling you, Vile is here. Somewhere."

"Yeah. You smell that? The thing that smells like rotten eggs? That's not sulfur. That's the stench of Vile's ugly face." Zero remarked with a wry chuckle. "The one I intend to beat in with his own helmet."

"Still on about that, huh?" Bass asked, shrugging again.

"Forte, just be quiet and let's just help them look," Blues stated coolly. "If he's here, we will find him."

"Right," Bass muttered in reply, not concealing the annoyance in his voice.

They continued searching room to room, but until they drew closer to the center of the facility, they saw and heard nothing. They entered another room, this one smelling particularly bad. The room was mostly empty, save for a pile of debris in the right hand corner of the room as they came in, but there was nothing that should have been giving off this kind of odor visible.

"What died in here?" Bass demanded, holding his nose.

"Huh. This is weird," X said.

"X, Forte… be quiet for a second. I thought I heard something." Zero hushed them both, and moved over to the pile of debris. He moved very closely to it, and pressed the side of his helmet to it. Rock caught Zero raising an eyebrow out of curiosity, and he saw when inspiration hit the red Reploid hard. He moved back over to them after a moment, careful not to make much noise. "Over there. There are voices coming from underneath that rubble."

"Let's move it, then." X said, creeping over to the pile of debris. When Zero met him there, they both tried to pry some of the debris from the pile. Oddly, none of it would move apart. "…Welded together, it would seem." X looked over at Zero, who gave him a nod. They both reached down to the very bottom of the pile, and together they pulled. The metal made a sickening screech as they ripped the pile straight from the ground.

"Just as I thought." Zero muttered, looking down. There was a shaft with a ladder leading downward, and there were voices echoing up from below. He and X tossed the disguised door to the side, and it clattered to the ground loudly.

"So much for stealth, I guess," Blues muttered.

Zero began climbing down the ladder, with X following immediately behind. The blue Hunter turned his head to the time-travelers and motioned for them to follow.

Blues and Bass followed quickly, disappearing into the darkness. Rock hesitated on the edge, looking down the shaft. It was deep... very deep. It was almost as though the shaft led into the bowels of the earth, like they were descending into their own graves.

Pushing that morbid thought out of his mind, Rock stepped onto the metal rungs and began to descend. Reaching the bottom, he stepped off into what looked like another building altogether. The area around the group was clean and made of metal and concrete, looking very much like a military installation. The chamber where they emerged was small, the only thing at all important was a steel, automatic door leading out. Beyond it, Rock could hear raised voices.

"I'm telling you, it's your shift now!" one voice demanded. "Get up there and make sure no one gets inside!"

"No way, liar! I was up there the shift before this one!" the other, louder one shouted back. "I've been pulling more shifts up there than anyone else! It's your turn! Just go up there and do it and quit raising a racket! Do you know what Vile's going to do to you if anyone gets inside this building while you're in here arguing about being lazy?"

X and Zero exchanged glances and nods. With fluid precision, Zero ran in front of the door while X ran over to the side to push the button to open it. The door slipped open, revealing two startled, generic looking Mavericks. Before they could react Zero dashed inside, igniting his weapon.

"Probably something like this!" he said, cutting the Maverick on his left in twain with his Z-Saber.

"What the-!" the other exclaimed, seeing a red blur shoot in front of him. It was the last phrase he ever uttered, as Zero brought his saber around and lobbed off his head.

With a quick glance in both directions, Zero motioned the all-clear. The others quickly followed him into the hallway. Rock cringed slightly as he passed the bodies of the Mavericks, leaking coolant onto the concrete floor, but forced himself to remain looking straight ahead. The corridor extended both to the left and right. The path to the left met off at a t-shape intersection only about ten yards from their current position, but the path on the right led off deeper into the facility.

"Which way should we go?" Rock asked.

"To the right, I think. The longer halls usually lead somewhere," Zero muttered, keeping his eyes peeled for danger. "What do you think, X?"

"I agree. Let's go."

Zero again took point, but instead of X following closely this time, he took a position in the rear to watch for foes from behind. Bass followed close to Zero, with Rock and Blues near X.

"Your weapon..." Bass said to Zero, watching the glowing blade throw shadows onto the walls as they walked. "It's very interesting."

"What, never seen a beam saber before?" Zero asked.

Bass shook his head. "Other than yours? No. I didn't really get a good look at it when Vile was wrecking that lab."

The blonde angled the sword so Bass could get a closer view. "We'll they're really versatile weapons. Much more convenient than busters, if I do say so myself." He glanced pointedly at X, who just rolled his eyes.

"You used a buster for a long time too, you know."

"Yeah, but then I had the sense to realize my mistake," Zero said, grinning. "Anyway, beam sabers. There are several different types... This one here is the flexible kind, where the energy is fluid and you can use it more like a flail. There are also ones that are rigid, more like the lightsabers in _Star Wars,_ y'know. Neither type is quite as powerful as that, but they can still slice through lighter reploid armor easily enough... They can also deflect plasma bullets, which makes them defensive as well as offensive!"

X sighed as Zero continued to rattle off the specifications of his chosen armament with all the fervor of a weapons enthusiast. Blues looked over at him, with a small smile.

"Is he always like this?" he asked quietly, so as not to disturb Zero's lecture.

"Pretty much," X said, shaking his head. "He has his moments... and they come frequently."

"You two seem like good friends, though," Blues observed.

"Oh, yeah." X laughed. "Zero's my best friend. We've worked together pretty much since I joined the Hunters. He's a strange guy, but I wouldn't trade him for the world."

"Hm," said Blues, with a half smile. "Glad to know you have people you can count on."

X blinked at the cryptic statement, but before he could say anything more, the scarf-bedecked boy had quickened his pace to walk beside Bass and Zero.

X turned to Rock, raising an eyebrow. "Now, is _he_ always like that?"

"Yup," Rock said, shaking his head. "Always. You learn to get used to it."

"I guess," X replied, with a shrug, turning back around to watch the rear. There was no movement to the front, so odds were if anyone were to come, it'd be from behind. Rock turned to keep watch with X, and when he did, he could swear he saw something move at the end of the hallway. Before he could say anything, a figure turned the corner at the opposite end of the hallway, saw the wreckage of his comrades, then looked up to spot the dreaded Mega Man X.

"Intruder!" he yelled, forming a buster at his arm.

X and Mega Man fired off a few volleys of plasma, silencing him immediately. It was really X's who brought the Maverick down, though Rock's blasts hit home too.

"Good shot, kid," X said, looking for more enemies. It didn't take long after that for a group of four more Mavericks to take his friend's place. X and Mega Man immediately opened fire, with Bass and Blues joining in a second later. The entire hall was filled with plasma fire, and before their adversaries could get a single shot off, they lay on the ground, either badly wounded or deactivated.

"Let's hurry!" Zero demanded, when he saw they were clear. He quickened his pace, and the others matched his clip with relative ease. They reached the end of the hall a few seconds later and were met with another fork, which pointed to a set of large double-doors labeled "Lab."

"Let's knock and see if anyone's home," X said wryly, charging his buster.

"With pleasure," Bass smiled, doing the same. "On three?"

X nodded and gave the countdown. The moment he hit three, they both discharged their weapons into the door and blew it off its hinges. The metal sheets crashed violently to the floor, and the Hunters and time travelers rushed inside.

The lab was large, with several active computer terminals, but no one was manning any of them. The room itself was unkempt and disorganized, with papers and random objects spread over the floor and tables. There was another door in the back, which was tightly shut. Vile stood in the middle of the room, but he wheeled around as the door exploded out of the wall.

"Vile!" Mega Man shouted as the purple Maverick straightened in surprise.

"Oh, it's X and his scrapheap cohorts again..." Vile drawled, folding his arms. "I see you idiots managed to follow me."

"Hand over what you stole right now, Vile!" X shouted, pointing his weapon at him.

"I'm thinking… no," Vile replied, readying his shoulder cannon.

"Hand it over now," Blues said, stepping forward. "There's no escaping this time."

"Ooh, look who thinks he's a Class-S Hunter," Vile snorted. "You don't stand a chance against me."

"He may not be Class-S, but I sure as hell am," Zero replied. "Now, are we going to have to take everything by force?"

"It doesn't matter anyway," Vile stated. "You're already too late. By now, he has awakened…"

"What are you talking about?" Rock asked.

The door in the back of the room opened up, and out stepped a very tall, very powerful looking Reploid wearing green armor and a flowing red cape. He was completely bald, with a pronounced chin and a large jewel set in the center of his forehead. His eyes lacked irises, or even pupils, seeming blank and empty. Two pronounced scars ran from his forehead to his cheeks, crossing over the sinister eyes. As he left the door, he stretched, seemingly unaware of the Hunters' presence.

"At last, I've regained my body again!" he said, straightening himself up. "Vile, I'd like you to…" He paused, finally spotting the visitors in his chamber. "Eh?"

"We have some uninvited guests," Vile said.

"I can see that, helmet-brain!" the newcomer snapped, his hand moving towards the saber hilt at his side. "Why have you allowed X and Zero into the compound?"

"Funny story about that, actually," Zero cut in, with an arrogant smile crossing his face.

"Shut up, hair-boy. Vile, remind me to kill you for your incompetence later."

"Yes sir," Vile irritably replied.

"Your new body will be short lived, Sigma!" X shouted, his temper finally showing through.

"You can try, Blue Bomber," Sigma stated, drawing and igniting his beam saber.

"Hey… that's my title," Rock whispered to Blues.

"Quiet, Rock," he replied, watching Sigma and Vile carefully.

"Come on, X!" Zero smiled. "Let's teach him another lesson!"

X nodded, and a moment later, the hunters and Mavericks were deep in combat, completely ignoring the three time-travelers.

"Well, they seem to be doing alright without us..." Bass said, as X dodged a blast from Vile's shoulder cannon and Zero and Sigma locked swords.

Rock looked around the room, then spotted an odd looking object against the far wall. "Hey look! Over there!"

"It's the time machine..." said Blues, looking over.

"Quick, let's grab it and get out of this madhouse!" Bass suggested, as a stray plasma blast whistled between his head fins.

Rock frowned. "And just leave X and Zero to fight those two alone?"

"Fifty points if you can cut off his head before I blast it off!" X called to Zero, vaulting gracefully over Vile's helmet and shooting him in the back.

"You're on!" Zero replied.

"...I think they have it under control," said Blues, dryly.

"Damn, now I want a beam saber," Bass remarked, watching Zero swing the weapon in effortless arcs.

"No."

"Aww..."

"Let's just go, guys," Rock said, and tugged on Blues' scarf to get him moving towards the time machine.

The fighters were too distracted to notice as they snuck along the wall and made it to the device. Blues began fiddling with the dials.

"...Nothing's happening," Rock said, after a minute or so passed.

"Give it a moment. It'll take a little while to boot up," Blues replied. The machine began to hum softly.

"X and Zero better keep those two busy, then," Bass said, looking back at the fight. Neither Hunter seemed to have been injured yet. Zero and Sigma were still hacking at one another, unable to break through each other's defenses and land a blow.

Then Vile's shoulder cannon suddenly swiveled. "Zero! Look out!" X cried, but the warning came a moment too late. A blast of plasma swept Zero off his feet and sent him flying towards the nearest wall... and directly into the time machine. The full weight of an armored reploid slammed into the device, sending sparks everywhere.

"Zero!" X cried again, racing towards his friend. Sigma came dashing towards them as well, cackling madly. The time machine's hum grew into an angry whine. Just as X reached the fallen Zero and the blonde reploid began to stagger to his feet, a bright blue light erupted from the sparking device. Space and time rippled menacingly.

Before Rock could shout a warning, the portal swallowed him, and he was gone.

* * *


	6. Homecoming

* * *

CHAPTER SIX

_Homecoming_

* * *

Something was tickling his nose again. 

Rock opened his eyes to find his vision blocked by yellow. Lifting his head, he saw he was in a small clearing, surrounded by trees, and Blues lay sprawled a short distance away. Rock had been lying with his face buried in his brother's scarf. The red robot stirred a moment later, raising a hand to his helmeted temple.

"Did... it work?" came Bass' voice, from somewhere behind Rock. The blue robot rose to his knees and turned, seeing Bass sitting up as well, looking as worn out as he felt.

"I'd say it did," Blues answered him, looking around. "This forest does look familiar."

"That's probably why," said Bass, pointing to the sky. Visible above the treetops in the distance was the white dome of Skull Fortress.

"That'd do it..." Rock said.

"...We've got company, though," said Blues.

Sure enough, also lying in the clearing, around the wreckage of the time machine, were the unconscious forms of X and Zero. Neither appeared to be badly injured, though they looked like they would be out for some time yet.

"These two are really made of strong stuff," Blues observed. "They look fine, even after that fight and Zero ramming into the time machine."

"Well, they _are_ from the future," Bass said, shrugging.

"But why are they still unconscious, when we aren't?" Rock asked, worried.

"The shock of time travel, I'd expect," Blues said. "It knocked me out for a good while when I first went after you guys, too. I guess the effects wear off quicker when you travel more often."

"And... what happened to Sigma and Vile?"

"They aren't here..." Blues said, looking around. "I guess the portal didn't catch them."

"Thank goodness," said Rock. Dealing with X and Zero would be one thing... but having the Mavericks around would have been disastrous.

"Well, this is real nice and all," Bass said, standing up and beginning to walk towards the woods, "but I must be leaving now."

"What?" said Rock, startled. "Why?"

"We're home, stupid," Bass answered. "I don't have to hang around with you anymore."

"But X and Zero—"

"Are your problem now." He continued walking. "I've got things of my own to do. Later, Mega Man."

Just as he reached the fringe of the woods, he stopped, and turned back to Rock.

"Don't forget," he said softly, "we're enemies next time we meet. And I will destroy you then."

"I'll... be ready," said Rock. Bass nodded, then disappeared into the tangled underbrush of the forest.

"Such a charming young robot, isn't he?" Blues remarked, pulling himself to his feet and brushing dirt from his scarf. Rock just sat there, staring at the place where Bass had disappeared. Blues walked over and placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Don't beat yourself up about him, Rock. He's not worth it."

"I guess not..." Rock sighed.

"Hey, see if you can contact the Doc," Blues said, tapping the side of his helmet. "My comlink's dead. The electricity from the machine going haywire must have overloaded it."

Rock shook his head. "Mine's broken, it got hit during the battle with Bass."

"Great," Blues sighed. "And I don't think our teleporters are stable enough to risk using. I guess we'll have to walk home... Once we figure out what to do with these two."

"That's a good question..." Rock said, looking over at the still forms of the two Hunters. "Zero would probably be safe to take back to Father... but... X..."

"Yeah, the old doc might have a heart attack," Blues agreed.

"X might have a heart attack, for that matter," Rock said.

Blues looked troubled. "Yeah, we don't know how much he knows..."

"Not much." Rock closed his eyes. "He has his picture... but no real memories that I'm aware of. And... he doesn't even know we existed."

"I figured." The red robot shook his head. "So he would recognize the doc, at least... But there's really no other option, is there? The time machine is totally gone."

Rock looked over at the pile of twisted and sparking metal that had brought them here. "And it's only a matter of time before X and Zero realize that they're not home, Maverick Hunter HQ doesn't exist..."

"...Damn it, I hate time travel," Blues sighed.

"So... when they come to, we should lead them home?" Rock asked. "I'm sure Father can help them."

"I guess we'll have to."

"Besides," said Rock, with a rueful grin, "I don't think they can mess up the timeline any more than we already have..."

There was a soft groan, and X began to stir, raising a hand to his head and opening his eyes. Rock moved to his side.

"X? Are you all right?"

"Uh... what happened?" X asked, as Rock helped him to sit up.

"Something in the device malfunctioned and blew us here," Blues replied.

Across the clearing, Zero began to awaken as well, muttering, "Ow... what in the world...?"

"Oh, good. You're still okay, Zero," Rock said.

"If you call feeling like you've been stepped on by Blizzard Buffalo okay," Zero mumbled, sitting up and brushing twigs and leaves from his ponytail.

X rolled his eyes at his friend. "Like _you_ would know how that feels."

"Hey, I said I was sorry about that already!" Zero said. X stuck out his tongue, and the blonde hunter laughed. "Okay, okay, I get it." Then he looked around, noticing the abundance of trees and the wrecked machine. "...Hey, where exactly are we?"

"Er..." said Rock, "It seems... we're fairly close to our creator's home."

X also looked around. "...Where's Forte?"

"...He went on ahead," Blues said. "He wanted to make sure everything was... okay."

"Sigma and Vile...?" Zero asked.

"No sign of them. I can only assume they didn't get caught in whatever it was we did."

Zero frowned. "My comlink's not responding," he told X. "And neither is my teleporter."

"...Same here," X said, after a moment. "Are we being jammed?"

"Maybe the trip shorted them out?" Rock suggested casually.

X froze, then slowly turned his head towards the two brothers. Rock mentally slapped himself. That had sounded far too suspicious. X, with his military training, would certainly think the same... His fears were confirmed a moment later when the blue Hunter looked straight at Rock and said, "You're hiding something."

"What?" Rock stammered. "N-no, of course we aren't!"

"Don't lie, please, Rock," said X, still staring unflinchingly into the younger-looking robot's eyes. "What's going on?"

Rock and Blues were silent for a moment. Finally, Blues gave a half-hearted grin and said, "Heh, you're pretty sharp, X..."

"Explain yourselves, please," said X, an edge creeping into his voice.

"...It'd be easier to show you," Rock said, glancing over at Blues.

"You wouldn't believe us if we just told you," the red robot agreed.

"...Guess that's all we're getting for now, huh?" said Zero. There was an edge in his voice, also. Rock didn't like it at all. It was the same tone he'd heard them use when speaking to Sigma and Vile... the voice they used for enemies.

"Please, X," Rock pleaded, "Trust us for a little while longer."

X was silent for a moment, and then replied, in a somewhat softer tone, "...All right, Rock."

"Thank you," Rock whispered.

"I hate to interrupt, but it's getting dark," Blues said, looking up at the sun, beginning to dip below the treetops. "We'd better get going before a robot m— hostile robots end up finding us."

X and Zero glanced at one another, but rose silently to their feet and followed the smaller robots through the woods towards their home.

-------

About an hour later, the group emerged onto a two lane asphalt road. Rock and Blues turned right, following the path along until they reached a gravel driveway winding up to a neat white frame house. It was two stories tall, with an attached garage, surrounded by flowerbeds and impeccably trimmed grass. It looked very quaint and old-fashioned to X's eyes. He had seen pictures of similar houses from books spared in the Cataclysm, and he knew they still existed in some remote parts of the world, but never before had he seen one in person. The area around the house, too, was all too natural. They had passed through an entire forest without seeing any mechanical implants on the trees, and this house sat on a tidy little lawn with more trees surrounding it. Even in the fading light, X could tell the plant life was healthy and vibrant green.

"...This place looks... very remote," X murmured to Zero, as the two Hunters followed in their guides' wake.

"And primitive," Zero murmured back, eyeing the antique structure of the building.

Rock halted beside the front door, looking over at Blues nervously. "Here we are. Um..."

"We're going to have to ask you to wait here," Blues said. "Our creator is... well, excitable. He might be startled if he sees you two just walk in."

"Oh, is he a fan?" Zero asked.

"...You... could say that," said Rock, and without explaining the statement, the two disappeared inside the house.

"What does that mean?" X wondered. "I thought they said he didn't care much about world events..."

Zero shrugged. "Don't look at me. I have no clue what's going on here."

"'Curiouser and curiouser', as Alice would say," X sighed.

"What?"

"Alice, you know... from Alice in Wonderland?" Seeing his friend's blank look, he sighed again. "It's classic literature, Zero..."

"You read too much, X," Zero replied.

"No, you just read too little."

There was a momentary silence. Birds sang in the distance, and a squirrel ran across the lawn, spotted the two reploids, then darted up a nearby tree.

"...You don't think they're Mavericks, do you?" Zero said finally.

"I'm not sure..." said X, shaking his head. "They're clean of the virus, but... be ready for anything."

"Funny. They seem pretty harmless."

"Double seemed pretty harmless too," X replied. "Remember what happened with him. Be ready, Zero."

Silence fell again. The squirrel inched down the tree, chattering at them.

"This place, though..." Zero said, looking at the small animal. "Have you ever seen so much green at once?"

"No... I haven't," X admitted. "It seems... so untouched. There aren't even implants in the trees..."

"Well, they did say they came from overseas..." Zero said slowly. "That is, if they were telling the truth."

"I suppose it's possible," X said. "But... I can't but wonder just what happened to Forte. It seems strange that he'd up and leave so quickly."

"Yeah, it does," Zero agreed.

"But... I don't know," X said. "I don't want to believe Rock and Blues are our enemies. There's something about them that seems... familiar. Like they're old friends I've forgotten..."

"Hmm... Rock is the blue one, right?"

"Yeah."

"Am I the only one who thought he looked a little like you?"

"No, Axl brought it up too."

"...Something's really not right here," Zero said, shaking his head.

"Guys?"

X and Zero turned as the tentative voice broke into their conversation. Rock was standing in the doorway again, looking hesitant. He had removed his helmet, and the night breeze ruffled his midnight-black hair, making him look even more like X.

"You can come in now," he said, glancing over his shoulder back into the house, as though receiving extra confirmation from an unseen source. "Just... try not to... well, jump out of your boots."

X glanced at Zero, who shrugged. Coming to an unspoken conclusion, they stepped forward simultaneously and followed Rock inside.

The interior of the house was as meticulously neat as the exterior, the hardwood floor mirror-like and dazzling to look at where the fading sun entered from the long windows. The front door opened into a spacious entry foyer, which in turn opened onto a hallway and two other rooms. To the right of the door was a stand sporting an assortment of brightly colored umbrellas. On the other side was a small padded wooden bench and a tray of magazines, making it look much like a waiting room. Of the two doors on the far wall, only one was open, giving a glimpse of a long oak dining table. Pictures hung on the portions of the walls not taken by doors and windows. Most were paintings of landscapes and pastoral scenes, but one in particular caught X's eye. It was a framed, blown up-snapshot, depicting what appeared to be Rock and Blues out of their armor, along with a girl in a red dress. Blues was making a valiant attempt to escape from the camera, while the other two held him in the frame, laughing.

"Nice place," said Zero, looking around. X nodded. Rock, standing across the room, gave them a nervous half smile.

"Father's in the living room, X, Zero..." he said. "This way please..."

"It looks a little... dated, though, don't you think?" X muttered, as the two followed Rock down the small hallway. The furniture and floor even appeared to be real wood, something he'd rarely seen outside of museums.

"Yeah," Zero replied, after glancing up to make sure Rock wasn't overhearing them. "This just keeps getting weirder..."

Rock turned before they reached the staircase at the end of the hallway, and opened the door to a side room. He held it open, allowing X and Zero to enter first.

The new room was as dated looking as the last. The floor was carpeted this time, with a leather couch and armchairs facing an old-fashioned TV set. Several bookshelves lined the walls and there was a foosball table in one corner. Large bay windows overlooked the side yard.

It took less than a second for X to process all this. Then he noticed the room's occupants.

Blues leaned against the back of the couch, arms folded, yellow scarf hanging limply down his back. He had an odd expression on his face, as though he couldn't decide whether he should frown or smirk. Rock walked up next to him, nervously wringing his hands. And beside the two of them...

Beside the two of them, was Doctor Thomas Xavier Light.

X took an involuntary step backward, nearly slamming into Zero, who had also frozen at the sight of the white-bearded man. His central processing unit went numb as he tried to evaluate what he was seeing. Doctor Light... In front of him...

_Alive..._

"X..." the old man said softly, in the warm, kindly tone heard so many times before, played and replayed in the holographic messages X had carefully collected and stored. There was the same twinkle in the eyes, undimmed even in the holograms, the same patient smile. "Welcome home."

X's vocal processors unfroze in a halting fashion, as he took another involuntary step back. This time he did run into Zero, who put a hesitant hand on his shoulder to steady his friend. "What... what is this?" X choked, wincing inwardly as soon as the words left his mouth. He was face to face with his creator and that was all he could think to say? That is, if this was even really Dr. Light, which was completely impossible...

Blues had apparently decided to smirk. "X, I know it's a shock, but don't reboot on us here," he said, somehow managing to make his visor glint in an amused fashion.

"...Doctor Light?" Zero said, still clinging to X's shoulder, as much for his own support as his friend's. Zero had seen enough of the holograms to recognize the scientist, and the shock seemed to be as paralyzing to him as it was to the blue bomber.

"The very same," said the doctor, still with that slight smile. He seemed calm, but X noticed detachedly through the whirl of confused data rushing through his mind that he was standing very stiffly with his hands in the pockets of his lab coat, as if he were just as nervous about the situation as X and Zero.

"You... you're the one who built me..." X finally managed to stammer, standing up straighter. Zero moved to stand beside him, eyes still fixed on the absurdity before them. "How... this is impossible!"

Rock gave a small smirk that almost mirrored Blues'. "Well, not technically impossible... considering it's happening right now."

X turned to them, as though registering their presence in the room for the first time. "...Just who are you two?" he asked.

"These are your brothers, X," said the man who looked like Doctor Light. "Meet Proto Man and Mega Man." He gestured to each boy in turn, and they nodded across at the two reploids. "Though, we usually call them Blues and Rock around the house."

"...Wow," said Zero, his voice beginning to return to normal. "That... explains the resemblance, then."

"Then... then who was Forte?" X asked, still bewildered by the situation.

"You mean Bass, don't you?" asked the doctor. "Well, he's... not related to you."

"...Bass?" X asked, wondering why the black robot had bothered to conceal his true name.

"Yes. He was built by an old associate of mine, Dr. Wily." Dr. Light gave a heavy sigh, his voice gaining the tired edge that X had heard often in the hologram messages. "He was meant originally to destroy Mega Man. However, he's had... many snags in doing so."

"Thankfully for me," said Rock, with a shrug and a disarming smile.

"Then why was he helping you?" Zero asked.

Blues rearranged his scarf nonchalantly. "It was more of a mutual goal kind of thing. We all wanted to get home, as quickly as possible."

"Yeah... but also Bass... well, I don't think he's all bad." Rock added.

"He isn't, frankly," Blues replied, glancing over at his brother. "He's just too stubborn to admit it."

"You shouldn't be so trusting, boys," Dr. Light said, turning from X to face his sons.

Blues' smirk grew wider. "Heh. Doc, you're probably the most trusting person on the face of the planet."

"Be that as it may," the doctor cautioned, "remember what happens when you trust someone too much."

_Trusting too much_, X thought. Well, he was certainly in a situation like that now. Could these three be trusted, especially since one had supposedly been dead for the past century? "...This is all happening so fast..." he said, and the three seemed to remember he was in the room. They turned back to their visitors.

Zero decided it was time for action. "What is going on here?" he demanded, taking a step forward. "Where exactly _are_ we?"

"Well, to be blunt..." said Dr. Light, "You are in the year 20XX."

The two Hunters became even more shocked, if that were even possible. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Zero cried, speaking for them both. "We went backwards in time... a hundred years?"

"Yeah," Rock affirmed.

"...Then how did you three get to our time period in the first place?" X asked. This couldn't be possible... time travel was theoretically unsound... but yet, it was the only explanation. There was no way Dr. Light could be standing here otherwise...

"Well, the short version is that Mega Man and Bass were fighting, and Bass tried using a new weapon," said the doctor. "It malfunctioned and flung them both into the future. Proto Man quickly came to me, and I was able to analyze the residue caused by the temporal distortion and make a device to retrieve them before they caused any trouble... but I suppose he was a little late."

"Only a little," Blues defended.

"So... wait," said Zero, trying to process the information. "That means it's _my_ fault we're in this mess 'cause I took that thing from where you'd stashed it..."

Blues shrugged. "Hindsight's 20/20. There's no point in pinning blame."

"Besides," said Rock, with an apologetic smile, "It's not exactly... normal to see a time machine lying around.

X was silent, his mind still whirling. They had gone back in time. He was standing in the presence of his creator, his father... and two brothers he'd never known existed. His emotion matrix was going haywire... he wasn't sure whether he should cry or laugh or scream.

And then, there were the questions. So many came unbidden to his mind, the result of sixteen years of pondering on the nature of his existence. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had all the questions about his origins filed away in a neat, typewritten list, but they all came tumbling into his consciousness now without any sort of order.

"X, are you all right?" Zero asked, giving his friend a concerned look. "You look a little strange..."

"Zero..." X said, grasping at words in an attempt to say something meaningful, "It's really... you know... awkward to stand in front of the person who created you." And then, unbidden, he added, "Especially considering I still don't understand what my purpose is."

That was the foremost question he'd asked himself over the years. Why had he been built? Why had his father left him in a capsule, alone, for a hundred years? Hadn't he cared? Had he, perhaps, been a failed model, that didn't warrant activation? The label on his capsule said thirty years, but his sleep had gone on far longer. Was that a malfunction, or had he truly never been intended to wake? And what about the armor pieces, and the hologram messages attached? Why had the doctor left those? ...Why, in all those messages, had he never mentioned Rock and Blues?

"Your purpose, X?" Doctor Light asked, fixing his youngest son with an odd gaze. "Is that what you want to know?"

"...If you are willing to tell me," X replied.

"Your purpose is... to be what you choose to be," said the doctor.

"What...?"

The doctor smiled at him. "X, I created you to be able to think and act on your own. To feel things. You are all but human... and that's why I wanted you to live as you saw fit."

"I could've told you that, X," Zero said, smirking at his friend.

X shook his head, seeing that the blonde hunter had reverted to his normal irritating personality. "Zero, do you always have to be so... obnoxious?"

"Hey, I've gotta follow my purpose too, you know?" he replied, with a shrug and a grin.

"Heh, I like this guy," Blues said, with a grin of his own.

X rolled his eyes. "You say that now..."

" Hey! That's not funny," Zero complained, tapping X lightly on the shoulder. X gave him a fleeting smile and returned the gesture, with slightly more force.

"You two are going to fit in with this family just fine," Blues observed.

That sobered X. "...Fit in..." he said softly.

"But... we can't stay here long," Zero said, his joking tone disappearing. "We have to get home... and who knows what problems we're causing to the timeline?"

"Unfortunately, that is true," said Dr. Light. "It would be wise to return you to your original period in history as soon as possible."

"...Yeah..." said X, sounding slightly disappointed.

Dr. Light smiled kindly at him. "There's no need to be overly hasty, though, X. I'm sure you would like to get to know your brothers and your sister better."

"Sister?" X asked, thinking back to the girl in the photograph.

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about Roll..." said Rock, looking around.

"...You can be a real idiot sometimes, brother," Blues sighed, raising a hand to his temple.

"Where is she, Father?" Rock asked, ignoring the red robot's comment.

"She's sleeping right now," Dr. Light explained. "She wore herself out worrying over you two."

Rock and Blues both looked slightly ashamed. "Man, I feel guilty now," Blues admitted.

"Don't worry, she'll be fine," the doctor assured them. "Let her sleep for now, though. She can meet X and Zero in the morning."

"Alright," Rock agreed.

----

Rock and Dr. Light gave their guests a tour of the house, showing them the dining room, the study, and a glimpse of the downstairs lab. They ended at the kitchen, where for dinner they had cold sandwiches Roll had left in the fridge. Dr. Light apologized, but X told him it wasn't a problem. "Hey, it's way better than the Hunter's cafeteria," Zero had agreed. Blues still hadn't reappeared by the time they finished, and Rock finally took a sandwich and went looking for him. X and Zero remained in the kitchen talking to the doctor, who was giving them brief overview of the events leading to Rock's creation and the past Robot Wars.

Rock knew Blues was probably outside, as they hadn't seen him anywhere during the tour, so he went out the door into the twilight. Walking around the house, he had no luck until he heard a soft whistling from behind some trees. Continuing forward, he found Blues sitting in a secluded corner of the yard, staring off at the sun slipping below the horizon.

"Blues...?" he said tentatively.

"Hmm?" The elder boy replied, without turning.

"I brought you a sandwich," Rock said, sitting beside his brother. "You didn't come inside for dinner."

Blues took the food, but didn't start eating. Rock watched him.

"Just... what exactly are you doing?"

"Me?" Blues asked, as though just realizing Rock was there. "Oh... whistling... watching the sunset... listening to the insects..."

"Uh... huh." Rock said.

"There's a lot more to life than you realize, brother," said Blues, turning to him and smiling. The sunset was reflected in his shades. "You should try just sitting still and watching sometime."

"I guess I could try that..." Rock said.

Silence fell between the brothers, and the sun slipped further down, tinting the sky purple.

"...Blues?"

"Yes?"

Rock took a deep breath. " You don't really think... what Bass said was right, do you? That... that Father is going to replace me with X?"

"Why would you think that?" Blues asked.

"Well... he said that X has feelings," Rock explained. "That he can make choices with his life. That sort of implies that we can't. That we're... inferior..."

Blues smiled at him. "Rock, the very fact that you're sitting here pondering this proves you aren't."

"What?"

"If you were truly mindless, and incapable of choosing your own path, would you worry about that fact?"

"Well..." Rock began, but couldn't think of an answer.

"It's true we have to adhere to our programming..." Blues said, shrugging. "But in the end, I don't think that's really much different than a human adhering to their moral values. And we can even bend those core rules if we wish. How many times have you disobeyed what a human told you to do?"

"Well... A couple times..." Rock said, thinking back.

Blues smiled again. "You can think for yourself, Rocky. And while it may be true that your basic traits were programmed in, what you made of them is your own. It's because of your choices that you've become the person we know."

"But, well..." Rock said, still not convinced, "Dr. Light seemed so happy to see X today."

"This is the first time they've ever met," Blues pointed out. "It's understandable. And X is our brother. He deserves as much attention as the rest of us get."

"You're right, of course, but..." Rock trailed off, gazing into the empty sky.

"...But, if you want more proof..." Blues said, barely audibly, "Did Father stop caring about me, when he created you?"

Rock stared at him. For one, he'd called Dr. Light "Father", something he'd rarely, if ever, heard him say before. For another, his tone sounded almost... sad. Again, Rock wondered about his mysterious sibling's past. He seemed to be carrying around more than his fair share of demons, and Rock wished he'd open up so he could help chase them away.

"...Blues... I never realized before..." Rock said, and Blues turned back to him.

"Hm?"

"...I see now why you've thought so much on this," he said slowly. "You felt the exact way I am now, when you first met me, didn't you?"

Blues shrugged, and grinned disarmingly. "Heh. I guess so."

Blues' past still held many secrets, Rock was certain of that. But even so... he felt that he understood his brother a little better, now. Blues had the same emotions as anyone else, he just chose to show them in strange ways. And he also now realized how silly it had been to worry about Dr. Light's rejection. There was plenty of proof around him that the doctor cared about all his children. Rock leaned over and gave his brother a very brief hug.

"Thank you, Blues."

"For what?" Blues asked, slightly startled.

"For... being you," Rock replied.

"...You're welcome, little brother," said Blues, and smiled.

* * *


	7. Flight

* * *

CHAPTER SEVEN

_Flight_

* * *

Rock left Blues to his thoughts and walked back into the house, heading into the kitchen to look for the others. When he arrived, however, he found Dr. Light and X had left, leaving only Zero seated at the table. The red-armored reploid looked slightly depressed, rolling his deactivated beam saber back and forth between his hands.

"Hey Zero..." Rock greeted him, sitting in the chair across the table. "Are you feeling okay?"

The blonde man looked up. "Yeah, I'm fine," he said. "It's... just a little much to take in. It's so strange to be here in a time when you didn't even exist... it's like living in a history book."

Rock blinked, and Zero laughed weakly. "Ack, I'm so tactless. I didn't mean to offend you or anything, Mega Man."

"You didn't," he said, shaking his head. "It's just, I hadn't thought of it like that. And please, call me Rock. I'm only Mega Man in battle."

"Alright, Rock," said Zero, smiling. "And, it's not like I mind being here. I mean... it is really weird to think about, but it's also fascinating. This era is so different from mine... It's so... serene, and peaceful."

"But we still have to fight in this time," Rock admitted. "Dr. Wily constantly tries to take over the world, and I have to stop him."

"This... Wily character..." Zero said slowly, "What's he like?"

"Wily?" Rock asked. "He's nuts. A real mad scientist, you know. He wasn't always like that, but... his mind's twisted now."

"Mad scientist, huh..." said Zero. "The cliche kind? With a lab coat and grey hair?"

"Oh, yeah," said Rock. "He's like... a psycho version of Einstein. Bald on top, with hair jutting out the sides, and a huge mustache. Oh, and eyebrows." Rock grinned.

"Hm. Sounds interesting," said Zero, with an odd smile. "And he's sworn to destroy you, huh? And your family..."

"Pretty much," Rock said. "He doesn't like Dr. Light, because they used to be friends, and he doesn't like me because I foil his plans."

"That explains where you got all your battle experience, then," said Zero. "You're pretty good, you know. And you must do a good job keeping the peace here. Everything seems so untouched." The half-sad look intensified.

"...Zero... what exactly... happened to your world?" Rock asked, not certain he wanted to know the answer.

"... I'm not sure I should answer that," Zero replied.

Rock sighed. "...You're right. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Zero shook his head. "...It's probably just selfish of me..."

"It's okay. Maybe it's better that I don't know anyway," said Rock.

"If you're willing, Rock..." Zero asked him, "Would you tell me why you fight? What your motivation is?"

Rock thought for a moment. "...I want the world to be a place where humans and robots can live together in peace," he said finally. Zero looked odd. "...What? What is it?"

"...X said the exact same thing when I asked him years ago."

"Really?"

Zero nodded. "Yeah, he did. He's definitely your brother, that's for sure."

Rock smiled. "I'll take that as a compliment, I guess..."

"I meant it as one," said Zero, returning the smile. "X is a really great guy... he's stuck by me, even though I've been a real jerk a lot of the time. I'm only still here thanks to him. ...But it's the same in reverse, I might add!"

"But that's what friends are for, right?" said Rock.

"Right."

A companionable silence fell over the room. Rock watched the clock on the wall, ticking away into the future.

"Well, I think I'm gonna go look for X and Father," he said finally, standing up. "See you."

"Later, Rock," said Zero, sounding slightly more cheerful now.

Rock headed for the door, halting just before he reached it. "Oh, and Zero..."

"Yeah?"

Rock pointed to the beam saber the reploid was still rolling absently across the table. "You have a really cool sword."

Zero smiled. "Thanks, kid."

-------

Rock looked into the other downstairs rooms, but saw no sign of X. Dr. Light was in the study, looking deeply involved with something he was reading, and Rock decided to move on without interrupting him. Not finding X downstairs, he was about to head to the second floor when he noticed the door to Dr. Light's laboratory was ajar. Knowing his father was still in the study, his curiosity got the better of him and he tiptoed down the steps.

As he'd thought, X was down there, standing beside a long metal cylinder that Rock remembered seeing a few times before, when Dr. Light had actually allowed anyone inside the lab. It had always been covered, but now the metal was pulled back, revealing a boy lying on the table. He lacked most of a lower body, and arms, and a lot of his armor, but was recognizable nonetheless.

"That's you in there, huh?" Rock asked softly. X turned. He looked rather shaken, as Rock supposed he would be too in a similar situation. Here was visible proof that he was not in the correct century, that he really was meeting his family for the first time.

"I suppose so," he said. "It's... a little unnerving, you know?"

"I can imagine it would be," Rock agreed.

X turned away again. His face was impassive, but Rock was startled to see wet streaks glistening on his cheeks in the fluorescent lights.

"Hey, are you crying?" he asked.

X smiled, reaching up to wipe his eyes with a gloved hand. "Ah... I'm such an idiot," he said, his voice wavering slightly.

"Don't say that," said Rock, moving a few steps closer. "It's all right to cry."

X's eyes turned down to his deactivated self, still and unmoving in the metal capsule. "This... is... what I've always dreamed of," he said, giving a short, half choked laugh. "Of meeting Dr. Light. Of meeting you and the rest of the family. And now that I have, I'm making a total fool of myself..."

"It's understandable, X," Rock said. "I can't even imagine the things you must have gone through... without any of us around. And now..."

"I actually feel at home," he said. "I feel like I'm where I belong. But..."

"But your feelings are still mixed, right?"

"Yes..." X sighed. "Here I am... looking at myself... incomplete. I... don't really know what to think. As I stand here, it feels like I'm home, and yet... this really isn't my home."

Rock put a hand on X's shoulder. Though the taller boy looked troubled, in a way, the little blue robot was glad. He had dropped the professional persona he had worn often while in the future. Right now, he was not X the Maverick Hunter commander, but X, the boy finally coming home. Rock wondered suddenly how long his brother had actually been activated. He had been pulled here from over a hundred years in the future, but the blue Hunter didn't act nearly that old. Rock knew robot appearances were deceiving, but he thought that if X had been around for decades, he would act somewhat differently. Just what had happened to his brother? Like with the state of his destroyed world, Rock wasn't certain if X's story was something he wished to know...

"...I want nothing more than to stay here," X said softly, running a hand along the side of the capsule. "Stay in the past and learn as much as I can from Dr. Light. There's a lot he can teach me... and there's a lot you and Blues can teach me too."

"Well, if that's what you want, why don't you ask Father if you can stay?" Rock suggested, though he already knew the answer. X hesitated for a second, but shook his head.

"I can't, Rock. As much as I wish I could stay, I have to return to 21XX. I have... a lot I want to protect there. I can't let Zero down. I can't let any of my friends down. If I stayed here, I would only be running away like a coward." He smiled at Rock. "I'm sure you understand what it's like to fight for something you care about."

"I do," said Rock.

"Dr. Light told me a little about you earlier," X said. "You're a brave one, Mega Man, far braver that I am."

"What are you talking about?" Rock asked. "I don't really know that much about the situation of your era... but if you fight those Mavericks all the time, then you're definitely a brave person."

"There are plenty of times when I just want to run away from it all and not fight, though," X said. "I don't like hurting other reploids. I feel like a murderer, even if I know I'm doing the right thing."

"...That doesn't make you a coward, X," Rock said. "I often feel the same way."

"You do?"

"Yeah," said Rock. X was silent. "...I guess what gives me the strength to go on is remembering the people I care about... and how much they care about me. Even if I have doubts about myself, I know they don't, and it gives me all the courage I need." He looked over at X. "I'm sure there are people like that for you in your time."

"Yes... there are," said X softly. "Thank you, Rock. I... needed to hear that."

"Any time, little brother!" Rock said, grinning.

X blinked. "...Little?" he said, looking down at Rock.

Rock laughed. "Now I know why Blues says that so much! It's fun!"

X smiled, and reached out to ruffle Rock's hair. "I guess the trip wouldn't be complete without my big brother picking on me."

---

Rock headed back up the steps a short while later, leaving X alone to think. As he pushed open the door, he met Dr. Light, who was entering the living room.

"Hello, son," said the doctor, smiling kindly. "Is X still down there?"

"Yeah," Rock replied, leaving the lab door ajar.

"I figured he would need some time alone," said Dr. Light. "But what about you, Rock? I know this has been a lot for you to take in, in such a short time."

"I'm all right, I guess," Rock said, shrugging.

"All of your travels and experiences are starting to hit home now, aren't they?"

Rock nodded. The doctor walked to the couch and sat down, motioning for his son to join him. Rock did so, running his boot along the carpet idly, blurring the marks made by Roll's vacuum cleaner.

"Did you see something in the future that troubled you, Rock?" the doctor asked, watching his son's face.

"Several things..." Rock answered. "I'm just not sure what to think about them."

"If you want to talk about it, I'm willing to listen."

"No, that's okay..."Rock said, then paused. "But... Father, why didn't you tell Roll, Blues, and me about X?"

The doctor smiled. "I thought you'd ask that. In light of the circumstances, perhaps it would have been better to tell you, but I had several reasons for keeping X secret."

"Like what?"

"Well... for one thing, I didn't want to get your hopes up."

"...What? What do you mean?" Rock asked.

"X... will not be completed for another thirty years," Dr. Light softly explained. "His AI is extremely advanced, more than any of your siblings... but because of this, it needs careful testing to make certain... well, that he doesn't go insane and start killing people."

"Why would he do that?" Rock asked, confused.

"X is the first of a new age of robotics, Rock," said the doctor. "He's a reploid. A robot that's practically human... a robot who doesn't have to obey the three laws."

Rock stared. So that explained why the Mavericks were able to harm humans so easily. "...Isn't that... dangerous, Father?"

"That's why we do the testing," the doctor replied. "And as far as I can tell, it looks like it will be successful... at least in X's case."

"But what made you decide to do this?" Rock asked.

"Several reasons... the spirit of scientific discovery... the curiosity toward the unknown. But mainly," he smiled at the boy, "because of you and your siblings."

"...Huh?"

Dr. Light sighed. "I'll admit, Rock, that when Blues first awoke, I made many mistakes," he said. "For one, I had no idea what to make of him. I had often dreamed of creating a sentient robot... often imagined treating him or her like my own child... but I never thought I would actually achieve such a goal."

"...You didn't?"

"Well, no. You have to remember, Rock, the human mind is a very complicated thing. When I began work in robotics, and even today, exactly how it functions isn't known completely. A lot of what I put into Blues' programming and construction were things I didn't even understand, but I knew existed in the human mind. I had no idea if the finished product would end up as a living being, or merely a well-built doll."

"But it did work."

"Indeed. But you can see that when, quite by accident, Blues was given life... and a soul... I didn't realize what I had done." The doctor's voice grew more tired and distant. "Before I knew it, I'd driven him away."

Rock blinked. He knew that Blues had run away from the lab before his own construction, but he hadn't considered that Dr. Light had been part of the cause. Still, he didn't understand why Blues would feel the need to leave. Surely, if he'd talked to Dr. Light, any misunderstandings would have been easily cleared up. After all, despite Blues' quirks, no one could possibly speak with him for more than a few minutes and not realize he was a living being. Rock knew there was more to the story, but as it was, it seemed neither his brother nor his father were willing to elaborate.

"When I realized my error," the doctor continued, still lost in his memories, "I resolved that I wouldn't be so negligent to my future creations. I tried to raise you and Roll as much like humans as I could. And it worked." He smiled. "You two have grown to be the most wonderful children any father could wish for, and even Blues has forgiven me and come back... well... as much as he ever can come back."

"Well, that's Blues," said Rock.

"Indeed," the doctor agreed. "All three of you have evolved far beyond what my programming skills could ever hope to achieve. You're living beings, but yet... you do have limits. I'm sure you're aware of them."

Rock nodded. "Sometimes there's something in my head, telling me to do something... or not to do something..."

"That's your basic programming at work," Dr. Light said, "and while on one hand, I think it has served to instill a sense of morality in you, on the other, I feel horrible for having it there. I feel like I am almost... enslaving you, and preventing you from reaching your full potential."

"That's not true," said Rock, shaking his head.

"But I can't help but wonder." the doctor replied. "So that is why X is not bound by the laws as you are. For him, they are merely guidelines, guidelines that will hopefully be powerful enough to keep him on the path of righteousness. And that brings me to the other reason I am building him."

"What's that?" Rock asked, curious.

"Humanity is a frail and fallen race, Rock," he replied, looking grim. "We fight amongst ourselves... create weapons of war to use against one another. We use and abuse our creations for our own selfish goals. Bass is one unfortunate victim of our self-absorption..."

Rock was silent, thinking of the black robot. His father was right, in a sense... Bass was a victim of circumstance. He'd been built to fight for Wily, without a chance to follow any other course. He had little choice in the path his life had taken.

"But you are not like that, Rock," said Dr. Light. "You have a human heart, and yet, you have a sense of justice that is beyond the capacity of most men. You would never harm a human being, whether the laws were binding you or not. It is your choice to do so. It's your choice to be a hero."

Rock nodded, remembering the first war. It had been his decision to don the blue armor and fight for humanity. Though he'd experienced many hardships since that time, it was a decision he rarely regretted.

"And yet, you cannot be around forever, Rock," the doctor continued. "You deserve a rest as much as any human... and eventually, the evils of the world will evolve beyond even your capacity to fix. When that time comes, I won't be around to upgrade you anymore."

"What..." Rock began, startled.

"I'm old, Rock," he explained, with a tired smile. "I was old when I built you, and I'm not getting any younger. One day, most likely before X is even ready, I will die." The boy looked troubled, and his father reached out and ruffled his hair in a comforting gesture. "But I cannot leave the world the way it is, with humanity developing greater and more powerful technology, without our morals expanding to counterbalance it. I see a great cataclysm on the horizon, and I fear even you won't be able to stop it. You're still a child at heart, after all."

"Doctor Light..." Rock said, leaning against his father's shoulder. The old man smiled down at him.

"So you see, Rock... that's why I am building X. To protect us from ourselves." He wrapped his arm around the boy's shoulders and Rock closed his eyes, leaning further in to the white lab coat.

"I think I understand a little more now," he said.

"I thought you might. I only pray that I'm wrong about humanity's future."

"Well..." said Rock, straightening up. "I may not know for certain what lies ahead for us, but I won't give up. I can't. There's too many things I care about at stake."

"That's my boy," said Dr. Light. "Always strong in the face of fear."

"It's what I do," said Rock, cheerfully.

"Rock... I'm proud of you," the doctor said, giving his son's shoulder a squeeze.

"...Thank you, Father," Rock replied.

"Now, I think it's about time you went to bed," said Dr. Light, gently leading the boy towards the door. "You've had a very long day."

Outside the window, the last vestiges of sunlight slipped from the sky, and the stars began to twinkle brightly overhead. Here in the house, though, Rock was content. He may not know exactly what the future held, whether his efforts on behalf of the world even mattered or if peace would ever be achieved, but at the moment, it seemed impossible not to be optimistic. No matter what the world faced, there would always be someone willing to step up and defend it. Whether it was himself, or X, or someone else... there was hope. Somehow, everything would turn out all right.

He just had to keep believing.

------

Bass curled up on the couch, controller in hand and an old blanket tucked in around him. He glared at the television. He had forgotten to save before heading off to fight Mega Man, and someone, probably out of spite, had turned off the power while he was out. Looking down at Treble, he said, "Some guard dog you are."

Treble looked up and gave a disapproving growl. "Yes, I know you're a wolf," Bass sighed, reaching out and petting the purple robotic animal. "But wolves are territorial too. You shouldn't let the old man come in here." This was the only place that was truly his, and he'd be damned if he let that old geezer wander in whenever he felt like it. Treble yipped in acknowledgement, and Bass scratched behind his ears.

The intercom crackled to life. "_Bass!_" Wily shouted. "_I know you're back here. Get to my lab and give me a report on your excursion with the Time Stopper! I have some changes I need to make._"

Bass growled, and saved the game. "Bloody hell," he muttered to Treble, as he stood up, stretched, and summoned his armor. "I swear he's going senile. I just gave him that report an hour ago."

Bass headed for the door, and Treble started to get up to follow. "Don't bother, boy," the black robot said, reaching the doorframe. "You go back to sleep. I can deal with him." Treble looked dubious, but lay back down obediently.

------

Bass walked into Wily's lab a few minutes later, ready for an argument. "I already told you what happened, old man," he said, folding his arms and glaring at the scientist sitting at the largest computer terminal. "The thing didn't work. Mega Man and Proto Man beat me into the ground. What more do you want!"

"The truth," said Wily, spinning around in his chair and glaring at his creation.

"What?" said Bass, startled.

"Bass, I know more happened than you told me," the scientist said, getting to his feet. "I was monitoring your fight. You and Mega Man disappeared somewhere. Where did you go?"

Alarm bells were going off in Bass' head. "Does it matter?"

"Of course it does."

"Why do you want to know?"

"Ungrateful scrap heap!" Wily snapped. "Do not disrespect your creator! Just tell me, rust-bucket!"

Bass was silent, trying to come up with an alibi. Wily didn't let him think long, however.

"Won't talk, hm? That's fine." He smiled, making Bass somewhat nervous. "I already know where you went. And what you did."

_He's bluffing_, Bass thought. _There's no way..._

Wily turned to the shadows. "My new friend, why don't you come out and introduce yourself?"

"With pleasure," came a rumbling voice. Bass took an involuntary step backwards as a very familiar eight-foot, bald reploid stepped from the darkness behind the computers.

"Hello there, little Bass," Sigma said, with a cruel smile.

"What are _you_ doing here!" Bass cried, taking another step back.

"It seems he was brought back by Thomas' time travel box, as well," Wily said, with a smile similar to Sigma's.

"What? Where the hell were you, then!" Bass demanded. "You weren't with us when we arrived!"

"You and your friends certainly are inept at examining your surroundings, or you would've thought to check the underbrush nearby," Sigma stated, his gaze becoming more petrifying. "I merely waited for your merry little band to disperse before I left hiding."

"Then he followed you back here and snuck inside. I must say, I was very glad to meet him, even if he was an intruder," Wily snickered. "And I know now how he was brought back to this era... the Time Stopper II within you has the power to alter temporal mechanics. Sigma here has told me a lot about what you were doing in the future..." Bass stared at him. "Associating with Mega Man instead of destroying him when you had the chance?"

"It was only to get back here!" Bass defended. "What good would I be to you if I couldn't get home!"

"You idiot," Wily barked. "You could've stranded yourself in the future for all I cared if you killed Mega Man in the process."

Bass couldn't believe his auditory sensors. "I'm the most powerful robot you've ever built! I'm supposed to be your enforcer after you take over! You... you _need_ me!"

"You really are stupid, Bass." Dr. Wily laughed. "Your only purpose is to destroy Mega Man. You have no use after that... you would be as outdated as the phonograph."

Bass stood frozen, unable to move or retort. "You're a worthless, obsolete pile of slag," Sigma sneered, driving the message further home. "Dr. Wily has me now. I would follow his will until the end of time. I am far stronger than you... and destroying Mega Man will be no challenge."

"What? Why!" said Bass, finding his voice. Why would this futuristic robot be helping Wily? The Mavericks had already demonstrated they had no love of humans... why would their leader ever ally himself with someone like the scientist? Sigma didn't seem to be playing, either.

"There's no need to ask questions, Bass," the reploid replied. "You know everything you need to understand why you are being... replaced."

"I've never been much for obsolete technology," Wily said, smirking. Bass took another step backwards. "Bass, I think you will be far more useful as a new lab chair. Sigma! DESTROY HIM!"

Bass didn't wait for the bald reploid to move. Cursing Wily, he took off at top speed through the doors behind him and down the hall.

"After him, Sigma!" Wily ordered.

"Yes, Master," Sigma said, and began the chase.

---

Bass' one advantage was that he knew the layout of Skull Fortress better than Sigma. Taking a series of twists and turns, he soon put some ground between himself and the pursuing Maverick warlord. As he ran, he began considering his escape options. Teleporting out was not possible as Wily had activated the base's energy shield. Running was only a temporary solution, as Sigma was faster than he was on foot. He had only one chance for survival. Punching his communicator, he shouted, "Treble! This is an emergency! I need you now!"

A few moments later, he heard metal limbs clattering on the stones of a nearby corridor as Treble homed in on his master's signal. The purple wolf came into view at the next intersection and began running alongside him.

"Merge with me," Bass said, without slowing down. "We're getting the hell out of here."

Treble obeyed without hesitation, leaping into the air with a howl. He collided with Bass and in a flash of energy, their systems interlocked, leaving Bass with a pair of purple and black wings and violet trimming on his armor.

Just as he completed the merge, Sigma dashed around the corner, his beam saber in hand. "There you are!" he cried gleefully, eerie red eyes narrowed in concentration. "Time to die, Bass!"

"I doubt that," Bass growled. Charging his buster, he dashed towards the window at the end of the hall. The plasma shattered the glass and ripped a hole in the wall around it. Bass exited the new doorway at top speed, spreading his wings and soaring into the night.

Sigma approached the hole, boots crunching on the remains of the stone and plaster. He stopped at the edge and looked up at the receding speck. "Don't think you've gotten away," he said, as Bass faded into the distance. "You are easy prey... just wait."

------

Bass flew through the skies, his mind numb as the artificial adrenaline receded from his systems. "That was too close," he murmured. "Thanks, Treble... remind me to give you a treat or something when we get out of this... provided you can still hear me when we're in this mode..."

Night air whipped past him and he closed his eyes, not really caring where he flew as long as it was away from Skull Fortress. The cool wind slipped over his cheeks and the angry purple marks etched below each eye, then on, over his helmet and wings and away. "...Why would Wily just throw me away like some common robot?" he wondered aloud, half to himself and half to the silent Treble. "I've proven to him in the past that I'm more than that. I've fought long and hard for him. I may not have succeeded in destroying Mega Man, but I never gave less than my best for him and his cause. Didn't he appreciate that...?"

But he hadn't, Bass knew. He'd never given him a kind word or a kind action. Bass had never thought about it much, Wily wasn't exactly a nice person after all, but he realized now as he flew that the old man had become more and more antagonistic towards him as time passed. He'd deliberately tried to replace him with King, and even before that he'd expressed his dissatisfaction. Bass remembered the sketchy blueprints for a robot with long hair he'd shown him at one point in the past... the robot had never emerged, but Bass should have been more alert to the warning sign. Wily was tired of him and his attitude, of putting up with a subordinate who could think, of having a creation that was actually alive...

"Sure, he's old, and annoying," Bass whispered, thinking back on the scientist, "And obsessed with taking over the world, and always shouting at me and sending me to get beat up by the blueberry again... but he did create me. I thought that meant something. I... I don't know."

He opened his eyes, watching the moon shimmering through the clouds. He didn't have many options now. He couldn't go back to Skull Fortress, obviously. Living as a rogue was also not viable. He didn't have Proto Man's stealth skills, and he had Treble to think about, as well. That left only one choice, at least for the moment. He didn't want to, but he'd rather go there than die. But he'd wait until tomorrow. He wouldn't slink in under cover of darkness, like a wounded animal.

He sighed. No courses looked good, but then again, he'd been a marked robot from the moment he'd been built. But he'd be damned if he'd let someone take him down without a fight. He was Bass, he was a warrior, he was a living being and he intended to stay that way as long as possible. And he would find a way to make Wily pay for what he'd done. He would survive, somehow. He would...

"Oh, Treble..." Bass mumbled, as the cold stars winked overhead. "What am I going to do...?"

* * *


	8. Unexpected Guests

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHT

_Unexpected Guests_

* * *

Roll pulled back the curtains on the living room window, letting the early morning sunlight filter into the room. She put her hands on her hips and turned smartly on her heels, surveying the rest of the room. Everything was in its place. The bookshelves and tables were neatly tidied, no sign of dust anywhere. Nodding in satisfaction, she headed for the kitchen, thinking of what to prepare for breakfast. She had peeked into Rock's room on the way downstairs, and saw the boy peacefully sleeping in his bed. Immensely relieved, but not wanting to wake him, she had continued in high spirits, intending to cook up a feast in celebration of his safe return. 

The first thing she noticed when entering the kitchen was Blues sitting at the table with his back to her. The coffee maker was humming and she assumed he or Dr. Light must have turned it on. Smiling cheerfully, she walked over and said, "Good morning, Blues!"

The person turned, and Roll blinked in shock. This wasn't Blues. There was a distinct similarity, especially from the back, but this boy looked slightly older, with a different angle to his features in some places and bright green eyes. He also lacked the yellow scarf and sunglasses.

"I'm not Blues, but good morning," he said, smiling. "Roll, right?"

"Who are you?" Roll demanded. It wasn't very polite but she didn't think a stranger barging into her kitchen deserved much in the way of courtesy. "And what are you doing here?"

"Name's X," he replied, offering a hand, which she ignored. He withdrew it, looking slightly disappointed. "...As for why I'm here... It'd probably be better if Dr. Light explained."

Roll opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind, but their conversation was interrupted when a tall man shuffled into the room. His immensely long, blonde hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and he looked very haggard and irritated.

"Hey, Zero," X greeted him. Roll stared. "You don't look too happy this morning..."

"Your brother's damn dog kept me up _all_ _night_," Zero said through gritted teeth, plopping wearily into a chair and running a hand through his tangled hair. "The stupid thing came into my room at like two in the morning and started growling at me, so I went to kick it out of the room, and of course it tried to bite me. And then, once I'd gotten it outside and shut the door, it figured out how to turn the doorknob!"

"Why didn't you just lock the door, then?" X asked.

"I did that next, and do you know what _it_ did?" Zero seized a lock of his hair in frustration. "_It picked the lock!_"

X couldn't help but laugh at his friend's predicament. Zero buried his head in his hands. "S'not funny, X."

"On the contrary, I find it to be very amusing."

"Brother's dog? What are you talking about?" Roll asked, looking from one man to the other.

"You know, the stupid red thing," Zero said, waving his hand in the air. "Rush, or whatever its name is. I swear, it's like it thought I was gonna kill you all in your sleep or something, though at this rate, the only thing that's dying around here is it—hey, is that coffee?" He perked up, noticing the coffee maker buzzing on the countertop.

"You do know caffeine doesn't do anything for us, right?" said X, as the blonde man jumped to his feet and began searching the cupboards for a mug.

"It's the placebo effect, dammit," Zero replied cheerily, finding a mug with a bright floral pattern and beginning to fill it.

Roll stood there, gawking at the two. "What _are_ you?" she said finally.

"We're incredibly advanced robots from about a century in the future," Zero said casually, now rooting through the refrigerator. "Got any milk...?"

"What!"

"It's a long story, Roll," X sighed. "That's why I thought it would be better if Dr. Light explained, but I suppose I could..."

"No need, X, I'm here," Dr. Light said from the doorway.

"Father!" Roll cried, looking relieved. "Who... what..." She gestured wildly at Zero, who had found Rock's carton of milk and was now stirring his coffee, humming.

"It's very simple," the doctor said, smiling slightly at his daughter's bewildered reaction. He went on to explain briefly about Rock's time travel excursion. "...And so, Zero and X will be staying here for a while, until I can build a new device to send them home," he finished.

"X is... my brother?" Roll asked. Dr. Light nodded. The girl turned to X, who gave her a sheepish smile. She stared at him for a moment, then enveloped him in a hug.

"I'm glad to meet you," she murmured, as he returned the gesture warmly. She pulled back a moment later, laughing. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "I know I've probably done that before in your time. But..."

X was silent. Roll blinked. "...Did I say something wrong?"

"...It's nothing, Roll," X said. "I'm glad to meet you too."

She paused, a chilly realization beginning to creep through her systems. "...I'm not there, am I?"

X slowly shook his head.

Roll stared at him, then hugged him even tighter than before.

"You look so cute like that," Zero teased, sitting down at the table with his mug. X glared at him.

"I'd better get breakfast ready," Roll said, reluctantly pulling away from X. She looked in the refrigerator and sighed. "I still have no soy milk to make pancakes... I'd better run to the store. Rock will be hungry when he wakes up." She walked to the door and hugged Dr. Light. "I'll be back in a half-hour, Father."

"Take your time, Roll," he replied, "And be careful."

"Of course. See you, X." And she left the room.

"She hugs everyone but me," Zero pouted.

X looked askance at him. "You better not be thinking of hitting on my sister..."

Zero looked appalled. "Of course not! She's like, twelve!"

"You've flirted with rookies barely out of the factory, Zero, age isn't a factor. And besides, you're 'like twelve' too."

"Thirteen," said Zero huffily. "And I'm not going after anyone who looks like a kid, thanks."

"How shallow of you..."

"What side are you _on_, X?" Zero said, exasperated. X grinned. Zero scowled and stomped on his foot.

"Ow!"

"I'll let you boys be, then," said Dr. Light, sounding highly amused. "I'll go collect the paper."

He left the room, and a few moments later, X stomped on Zero's foot in retaliation. "Ow!"

There was a noise outside, and Rock shuffled into the room in his pajamas, rubbing his eyes.

"Good morning, Rock!" X said, pulling his feet out of Zero's range. Zero scowled and poked him in the arm.

"Good morning, X," the little robot replied, pulling up a chair. "Did you sleep well?"

"All right, I suppose."

"Was the guest room not comfortable?"

"No, I was just... thinking," X explained.

"You do that too much, X, it's not healthy," Zero teased.

"And you are a prime example of how not thinking can benefit your health," X said, rolling his eyes.

"I got better!"

"No, I don't really think you did."

"See?" Zero grinned. "Don't think. You're catching on."

X groaned, and Rock laughed. "Zero wins!"

"But... never mind." X sighed.

Blues took that opportunity to walk into the room, already dressed in civilian clothes and wearing his scarf and sunglasses. "Morning, little brothers," he said. "Glad to see you're up."

"Hey, Blues," Rock replied. "Where've you been?"

"Oh, around," Blues said mysteriously, taking a place at the table. He looked around the kitchen. "Where's Roll on this fine morning?"

"She went to the store after hugging X to death," Zero said, sipping his coffee.

"She's not going to be happy that you were in her kitchen without her supervision, Blues," Rock teased.

"Yeah, yeah..."

"What'd he do?" Zero asked.

"He just can't cook," Rock replied. "His failed attempt at scrambled eggs brought the fire department down on us once. I honestly don't know how he survives when he's wandering around on his own."

"It's not like I _have_ to eat, you nitwit," Blues sighed. "Besides, there's always fast food."

"Robots can't live on spicy chicken sandwiches alone, Blues."

"Heh, that's what you think," Blues replied smugly.

"Am I really related to them...?" X asked half-jokingly as he watched his brothers bicker.

"Says the one who has a weakness for bacon cheeseburgers," Zero said.

"Quiet, tofu-boy."

"Hey! It's not my fault it's a good alternative..."

"It's good to see how well our family is functioning," Dr. Light said, reentering with the morning paper.

"Good morning, Father!" Rock chirped.

"Morning, doc," said Blues.

"Howdy again, gramps," said Zero. X glared at him. "...What?"

Dr. Light laughed. "It's okay, X. Don't look so upset. It's quite funny, actually." He took a seat at the table, scanning the headlines. There was a piece about the disturbance downtown the previous day, sporting a large picture of Rock and Blues' battle with Bass.

"So Roll went out?" Rock asked.

"Yes, she needed some milk," the doctor replied. Rock looked shifty. "She should be back within a half-hour, and then we can all have breakfast together."

"I hope she gets me some more cereal, too," said Rock.

Blues glanced at him. "That stuff you eat is nothing but pure sugar. How can you stand it?"

"It's not like it makes me hyper," Rock said, shrugging.

"You could fool me."

"Oh, very witty."

"You have some interesting older brothers, X," said Zero, amused.

"Um... thanks?" X replied.

"Well, let's see what's on the morning news then, shall we?" Dr. Light said, standing up and walking to the counter, where he switched on the small television set. The screen began showing the local news channel, and an overhead view of the city with smoke pouring from buildings and robots rampaging on the ground. The bar at the bottom showed that it was live footage.

"This looks familiar..." Blues said.

Dr. Light sighed. "Can't we have one morning of peace without having to send Mega Man out to save the world?"

"You're telling me!" said Rock, standing up grumpily.

"I'll go with you, bro," Blues said. "Wouldn't want you getting into trouble before breakfast."

"Wow, that's two days in a row you've volunteered to come fight with me. You're losing your mysterious touch, big brother," Rock teased.

"Are you saying you'd rather me let you get the tar beat out of you, then conveniently appear with an E-Can to save your life at the last possible minute?"

"...not really, no," Rock said.

"You sure? Because I'd be fine with it."

"All right, all right," Rock said. "I'll leave you alone... sheesh..."

"Hey, can I come too?" Zero asked, looking very perky now that he'd had coffee and the promise of violence. "I'm good at killing things."

"And talking, and not much else," X said.

"You forgot dying."

"Oh, yeah."

"...Say what?" Blues asked.

"Long story," Zero said nonchalantly.

"Anyway, I'd better come as well, then," X said. "The last thing we need is Zero kicking the bucket here in the past." Zero made a disgruntled noise.

"Is it safe for them to come, Father?" Rock wondered. "I mean, I'm happy for the help, but couldn't it contaminate the timeline?"

"It's possible, but, I don't really think so," said X, shaking his head. "Very little information from this era has survived to our time..."

"No one looks too closely at robot attacks these days, anyway," said Blues. "They're too common."

"If that's settled, you should hurry, boys," Dr. Light said. "Roll may very well be in trouble."

"We'll go get our armor," X said, and the two reploids headed upstairs.

Returning fully armored a few minutes later, the four battle robots gathered around Dr. Light. "Since your teleporters won't work here in your past, X, Zero, I'll send you all through the lab's teleportation system," he told them. "This way, everyone."

The group trooped down the stairs to the lab. They all stepped onto the wide, circular platform in the corner, which looked very similar to the transporters in X's own era. Once they had situated themselves on the disk, Dr. Light pressed some buttons on the computer console and the group rematerialized in the smoking downtown.

------

They found Roll fairly quickly. She was in the middle of the road, shooting down robots with a bright red buster on her right arm.

"It's about time you got here!" she called, vaporizing a mettool that had decided to show its face.

"Since when did you get a buster?" Rock asked, staring at the weapon.

"I've had one for a long time," she said cheekily, holding it up. "The R-Buster!"

"And _why _is it more powerful than my Mega Buster?" Rock said, as she vaporized another mechaniloid without charging.

"Because Father trusts me not to accidentally burn down the house with it," Roll replied.

"That's so unfair..."

"Hey!" Blues said, as Roll took down in one blast a robot type that had taken him two. "It's more powerful than my Proto Buster, too! What kinda crap is this?"

X, meanwhile, had finished charging, and calmly unleashed a hurricane of plasma on a nearby group of robots.

"…And his is better than all of ours," Roll said watching as fifteen mechaniloids vaporized instantly.

"The doc always favors the youngest," said Blues.

"X, can I try that?" Rock asked, eyeing the gun.

"No," said X, and began charging again.

"Aww…"

"Less talk, more killing!" Zero said, slicing through three Sniper Joes with a clean sweep.

The five young robots moved through downtown, destroying the Wily-bots in their path. Rock rescued a little boy trapped under a smoking car, and X helped an old man out of the line of fire. For the most part, though, the human civilians had fled, leaving them free to blast the enemy mechaniloids without worry.

They eventually worked their way into the main square. Zero was just clearing out the last group when another robot rumbled into the area. It looked similar to the Mad Grinder Rock remembered fighting back at the beginning of the seventh robot rebellion. Indeed, it looked rather haphazardly rebuilt, with parts sloppily bolted and purple paint hastily slapped on. The strangest thing about it, however, was the robotic arm jutting from the back of its head.

The group stared at it for a few moments.

"…That robot has a problem," Blues said finally, summing up everyone's thoughts.

"No kidding," said Rock.

"...I'm more worried by the fact that it's clearly made with technology far too advanced for this era," X said, as the robot brandished its arm and ignited the beam saber clutched in its hand.

"But it still has an arm. Coming from its _head_," Rock said, unable to get over the absurdity of the creature's appearance.

"Wily's clearly lost it," Blues agreed.

"You just now noticed this?" Roll asked, arming her buster.

"No, but now he's dropped so far down the crazy meter he's almost coming back around the other end."

"That takes some talent," said Rock.

"Man, this is so wrong," said Zero, dodging a swipe from the saber.

"This thing offends my optics," Blues agreed, taking a firmer grip on his shield. "Let's just trash it and move on."

The mechaniloid growled, and attacked.

------

Bass had spent a cold night in a clearing outside the city, working to remove the tracking devices he knew Wily had installed in him and Treble. Fortunately, he'd had a look at their blueprints before and knew where to search. Removing Treble's was simple enough, as the robotic wolf had no synthetic flesh to get in the way, but his own was a messy process. By the end he was shivering, coated in dark red coolant, and feeling very ill. 

_Damn you, Wily_, he thought, savagely grinding the tracking device he'd extracted under his boot. He leaned shakily against a tree, absently watching as thick dark red liquid dripped from the hastily bound wound on his upper arm. It was fortunate Wily hadn't put it in his chest cavity or head, as he didn't have the tools to remove it from there without killing himself. As it was, though, he felt bad enough, and fell into an uneasy slumber against the tree.

He awoke stiff, sore, and extremely thirsty; his body craving liquid to replace the coolant lost the previous night. The bleeding had stopped and the wound had mostly closed, thanks to his nanites and auto-repair systems, but he knew sudden movements would reopen it. Tying the bit of old cloth he'd stolen from someone's trash more securely around his arm, he carefully pulled his jumpsuit and armor back on. He stood up and stretched carefully, wincing as he accidentally jostled the injury, then gently nudged Treble awake. The wolf stood up and licked his hand in a comforting gesture.

"Come on, boy," Bass said, patting him. "We'd better get moving…"

He stopped, his eyes on the sky above the trees where some of the city buildings were visible. A column of black smoke rose into the air.

"Oh, heck," he sighed. "Well, we won't have a problem finding them… Treble, come!"

They merged, and Bass rose into the air, speeding towards the city.

------

"That thing was no joke," X sighed, wiping a splatter of mechaniloid coolant from his helmet. The group now stood around the shattered remains of the oddly-shaped robot, surveying the situation. Blues reached down and picked up the discarded beam saber.

"This is definitely future tech, though," he said, turning the object over in his hands. "Wily's never built anything like this before..."

"But how did he get it, then?" Rock asked.

"I don't know," Blues replied. "Unless..."

A purple bolt fell from the sky. Bass released the merge once he was on the ground, and approached the group with Treble on his heels.

"Thought I'd find you here," he said, stepping over a broken met.

"Bass!" said Rock, eyes narrowing. He raised his buster and trained it on the black and yellow robot. "You promised you wouldn't tell Wily about our time-travel!"

"What?" Bass began, but found four more busters aimed at him. He raised his hands slightly. "Whoa, I—"

"That robot was clearly using future technology," X said, the Maverick Hunter tone back in his voice. "You seemed like a decent person before, but I suppose I was wrong. For you to tell someone like Wily about time-travel—"

"Would you all just shut up and listen to me for a minute?" Bass cried.

"Why should we?" Rock said. His buster arm wavered slightly and he moved his other hand to steady it. "You betrayed us!"

"_Sigma_, that's why!" Bass said, deciding to cut straight to the heart of the matter. "Sigma is _here_, at the Skull Fortress!"

"What?" said X.

"No!" said Zero.

"Who the heck is Sigma?" said Roll.

"...Is this true, Bass?" Rock asked, staring at the Wily-bot.

Bass nodded. "I don't go back on my word. I didn't tell Wily. Somehow, Sigma must have come back with us, and now he's teamed up with the doc."

"Why would you be telling us this?" X asked. "You work for Wily, don't you?"

Bass didn't answer.

"There's something you're not saying, isn't there?" Blues said softly. "You're not exactly as confident as you normally are."

Bass remained silent. Damn Proto Man's perceptiveness... But the longer he kept quiet, the more suspicious they would get, and he was in neither the mood nor the condition for a fight right now. "...I'm..." He faltered. It hurt his pride to tell them. He didn't want them to see he was a weakling who was chased from his own home. But this had been his plan anyway, he told himself, and it was his only option left.

"...Wily tried to kill me, alright?" he said finally, glaring at the party as if daring them to laugh.

"What?" Rock asked, startled.

"He said that I was obsolete," Bass continued. Having started speaking, he was now unable to stop the flow of words. "That the only reason he built me was to kill Mega Man and after that I'd be useless to him. He never intended to keep me around after he took over the world, and Sigma showing up just gave him incentive to get rid of me sooner. Treble and I barely escaped with our lives."

"...Bass..." Rock began.

"I don't want your sympathy, Mega Man," Bass snapped, making up his mind. "This isn't the end. I'm going to show him the mistake he made. I will bring down Wily's entire war machine, by myself, if I have to. He will pay for this. I'm no mere tool for his twisted madness." He clenched his fists.

"Fighting for revenge, then?" asked Blues.

"What I'm fighting for now is none of your concern," Bass said, scowling at the older robot. "All you need to know is, if you're going to stand against that old fool, I'm going with you."

"I hate to break up this display of bravado," said X, skeptically, "but how do we know we can trust you, Bass?"

"You don't," he replied.

"...I trust you, Bass," Rock said.

"...Rock. This could all be a trap," X warned.

"And what if it isn't?" Rock challenged. "What then? Do we just leave Bass to face Sigma alone? I can't bring myself to do that."

"...The kid's got a lot of heart, doesn't he?" Zero observed. X nodded. "And anyway, we have to check and see if what Bass said is true. If Sigma really is here, we need to stop him immediately. And we could use the help, if that's the case."

"What about you, Proto Man?" Bass asked, eyeing the mysterious robot. "I know you have something to say."

Blues straightened his scarf. "If Rock trusts you, well..." he shrugged. "That's good enough for me."

"Hmph. You two are too nice for your own good," Bass said, which was as much of a thank you as they could ever expect.

"Well, _I'm_ going to be keeping an eye on you, Bass," Roll said. "I'm not letting you mess up the lab like last time. It took me weeks to clean."

"I suppose I deserve it," said Bass.

"Is that an apology?"

"No. But it's as close as you're going to get."

"His attitude hasn't changed much," Blues observed.

"Watch it, old man," said Bass.

"More like hasn't changed at all..." said Rock.

"So... Sigma has allied himself with Wily?" X asked.

"It seemed like he willingly made himself Wily's subordinate," Bass confirmed. "It's strange."

"Sigma's never taken orders from anyone before," Zero said, frowning.

"And no one's answered my question!" said Roll. "Who's Sigma!"

"A very, very bad guy," Rock answered her.

"That explains _so_ much, Rock," Roll said, sighing.

"I know! I'm good at these things!" Rock said, smiling. Blues rubbed his temples.

"She has a point, though," said Bass. "We don't know that much about him."

"...It'll take too long to explain about him in detail here," said X.

"Well, it wouldn't be wise to rush headlong into Skull Fortress," said Blues. "Why don't we go home so you and Zero can fill us in?"

"Yeah, and we can have breakfast!" Rock cheered. "I'm starving!"

"You're a robot, you can't starve," Roll pointed out.

"Details!" said Rock. "I'm starving!"

"Hmph. Well, he has a point," Roll admitted. "We may not need to eat, but Father does, and if we leave him there by himself any longer he might try 'experimenting' with cooking again..."

"Can't be any worse than Blues' attempt."

"You just won't let things drop, will you?" Blues sighed.

"X, your family could have their own sitcom," Zero remarked, as Blues called Dr. Light to arrange for transport home.

X turned his eyes heavenward. "All we're missing is the laugh track..."

* * *


	9. History Lesson

* * *

CHAPTER NINE

_History Lesson_

* * *

As the group was now too large to fit comfortably on the teleport pad, they materialized again on the front lawn. Blues adjusted his scarf and looked around, remarking, "I've been seeing entirely too much of this place over the past day and a half." 

"You'd better not be thinking of running off again before we deal with Sigma and Wily, Blues," Rock said, tugging on the golden fabric so it was untidy again.

Blues scowled and dodged away from his brother. "Yeah, yeah…"

"…Running off?" X asked, looking quizzically at his siblings.

"Blues doesn't like to stay put," Roll explained. She checked her boots for mud, then poked Rock into showing her his. "Yesterday was the first time he's come by in a while, and this is probably a world record for his actually hanging around…"

Blues shrugged. "There's a lot to see in the world, X. I want to experience as much of it as I can."

"You have a teleporter," Roll said, with the air of one bringing up a long-standing argument. "You could at least come home at night."

"It's not fun that way."

"Not fun for you, maybe," Roll snapped, "but it's a lot easier on _my_ mind. Remember last summer when you disappeared for three months? I thought you'd died or been captured by Wily!"

"I discovered golf," said Blues shiftily.

"Dang, you're old," Rock teased, while attempting to poke the older boy in the arm.

Blues sidestepped him. "At least _I_ don't get constantly stopped by old ladies and police officers wondering why I'm not in school…"

Dr. Light chose that moment to emerge from the house, preventing further argument. "Welcome back," he said, smiling at the group. "The TV reporters fled the scene after a while and I got worried."

"There was nothing to worry about!" Rock said cheerfully. "We took care of it!"

The doctor's eyes fell on the black-armored robot and the purple wolf lurking at the back of the group. "…And why is Bass here?"

"Things have become… more complicated," said X.

"No kidding," said Bass, folding his arms.

"Don't worry, Father, I'll be keeping an eye on him," Roll assured him. "He won't mess up this house again on my watch!"

"Like _you _could stop me," Bass muttered.

"…She's got a better gun than both Rock and me, Bass," Blues said.

"Why would a housekeeping robot need a better weapon than a battle robot?" Bass asked, incredulous.

"Yeah, she doesn't even need a gun to beat me up," Rock said, wincing and running a hand over his arm in memory of the broom. Roll grinned at him.

"I have my reasons," said Dr. Light.

"That's a polite way of saying you have no idea why you gave it to her, isn't it?" Blues said.

"Do you know how much hassle it would be to have Mega Man go rescue Roll every time she gets in trouble?" the doctor replied.

"Then why'd you send me today?" Rock asked.

"To save the city, of course."

"So you used Roll as a convenient excuse to get me to go there faster?"

"I'm sure that qualifies as some form of exploitation," Blues mused.

"Oh, be quiet," Dr. Light sighed. "I said Roll might be in trouble, not that she was a bloody damsel in distress."

Roll smiled cheerfully. "Thank you, Father."

"Anyway, Rock, would you mind explaining exactly what happened out there?" Dr. Light asked, glancing at Bass.

"Actually, X promised to explain some things to us," Rock said.

"We should probably go inside," X suggested. "It's going to take a little while."

"Yeah," said Blues. "Breakfast first, bad news later."

------

"I suppose it would be wise to start at the beginning about Sigma," X said a short while later, as he paced the length of the kitchen. Roll had whipped up a batch of pancakes with her newly procured groceries and the family set to with gusto. Bass hadn't eaten much of anything, but gratefully accepted the offered orange juice. Now the whole group sat around the kitchen table, with Treble crouched protectively beside Bass' chair, listening to the two Maverick Hunters tell their story.

"Sigma, and Zero and I, are reploids, with the ability to think and act entirely on our own," said X. "Like all other reploids, Sigma was designed from my blueprints after Dr. Cain found me in a capsule sixteen years ago." He nodded at Dr. Light. "He was originally created to lead the Maverick Hunters into battle and protect the human race... He was very, very powerful. He personally taught me the basics of combat."

"But Sigma eventually became... corrupted," said Zero.

"Yes," X affirmed. "He was infected by a deadly computer virus that is known as the Maverick Virus. It causes Reploids to go insane, killing humans instead of protecting them."

"So that's what you were looking for when you had us scanned?" asked Bass.

X nodded. "That's one fortunate thing about the virus, it can be detected with the right scanning equipment. But we didn't know that back then. Mavericks before Sigma were simply poor souls that had been badly manufactured or overworked to the point of breaking. The virus took the world totally unawares. There was mass panic... no one knew how it had started, how it spread, or how to protect themselves from it. And it only got worse when Sigma went from leader of the Hunters to leader of the Mavericks themselves."

"Worse yet," Zero sighed, "he managed to infect most of the Maverick Hunters before he left. A good portion of our standing forces went nuts the first time he attacked."

"Considering I was one of the last Hunters available," said X, "I went out to try to stop him, with Zero's help."

Zero gave a half smile. "X being X, he succeeded, though with a few... complications... on the way..."

"Mostly in the form of Zero dying," X agreed.

"Yeah... yeah. Not one of my better days, that was."

"Wait..." said Rock, incredulous. "Zero _died_?"

The blonde shrugged. "Well, yes. But I got better."

"How is that possible?" Blues asked, frowning. The entire family was listening intentily to the story now.

"We're getting to that," Zero answered. "Anyway... X, go on."

"We eventually found Sigma's base and infiltrated it..." said the blue Hunter slowly, "but on one of the upper levels, Vile surprised Zero and knocked him offline. I arrived and we started fighting, but things were looking pretty badly for me, since Vile was in a ride armor and I...well, I wasn't." X lowered his eyes. "Zero came to in time to see me losing..."

"And...?" Rock prompted.

"There was only one thing I could do," Zero said, shrugging. "I jumped on Vile's armor and overloaded my buster. The explosion destroyed the ride armor, but most of myself, as well."

"Without the armor, Vile was manageable..." X continued softly. "But..."

"He had to leave me behind," Zero finished. The others stared at him, and he sighed. "Don't give me that look, I told you I got better. I'm standing here now, aren't I?"

"I went on and defeated Sigma," X continued. "The Maverick outbreak began to subside, and everyone thought things were normal again. As one of the only Hunters left, I was now pretty high up in the organization, though it wasn't the same without Zero. That... wasn't really a good time." He shook his head. "But anyway, things went on like that for a little while, until a new group calling themselves the X-Hunters appeared."

"And they were holding my body parts hostage," said Zero.

"...That sounds so very... disturbing," said Bass.

"You're telling me," said X. "I still have nightmares of carting his severed head around."

"To make a very long story short," said Zero, "X beat them up, got the techies to start reassembling me since he'd kept my control chip, and then went to beat up on Sigma who had reappeared and was behind the whole thing to begin with."

X nodded. "Zero was repaired in time to kill a clone of himself and then run off again, leaving me to fight Sigma by myself for a second time..."

"Zero sounds like Blues Mark II," Rock said.

"Hey!" said Blues. Zero laughed.

X ignored the interruption. "Sigma didn't stop then, either. He continued to organize attacks, always managing to pop up again after being defeated. Each time he's become more powerful and dangerous than the last."

"By my count, there were six more times," said Zero. "And every time he's caused much more damage..."

"Both humans and reploids have suffered greatly because of him," X concluded sadly.

"So if he's here, in the past, and helping Dr. Wily..." said Bass.

X nodded gravely. "This era, and the timeline as we know it, is in grave danger."

"But you and Zero have defeated him many times before, right?" said Rock. "We'll just have to stop him again."

"I'm afraid it's never that simple," X said. "Sigma can be pretty subtle if he desires it. He's effective at planting spies and... well, playing mind games with people."

"...Spies...?" said Blues, and the entire table turned to look at Bass.

"Hey! Don't look at me!" Bass cried, raising his hands defensively. "He tried to slice me in half!"

"No... it wouldn't be Sigma's style to send someone like Bass to be his spy," said Zero, shaking his head. "No offense, but you aren't the right type..."

"...What do you mean by that?" Bass asked hotly.

"Nothing."

"That's what I thought."

"Needless to say," said X, "We have to formulate a plan, and for that, we'll need information. Bass, we need you to tell us everything you know about what Sigma is up to."

Bass shrugged. "I really don't know anything. Other than he's acting like Wily's little stooge, and the old man's buying it."

"Do you think he's using Wily?" Zero asked, frowning.

"Why would he?" X asked. "He's already far more powerful than anything in this age. Sigma's not the type to bow down to anyone. Manipulate them, yes, but never act like a servant."

"But apparently, he is," said Blues.

"That is what worries me," said X. "Why is Sigma doing this? It makes no sense."

"Unless..." Zero trailed off, his brow furrowed.

"Zero?"

Zero blinked. "Huh? Ah, it's nothing. Nevermind." X frowned, but didn't say anything.

"So, what do we do?" Rock asked, breaking the silence. "Any ideas, Father?"

"I honestly don't know, Rock," said Dr. Light, looking thoughtful. "This Sigma is obviously far beyond anything you've handled before..."

"But I'm not alone this time, right?" Rock said. "I've got Blues, X and Zero, and even Bass... I'm sure that if we work together, we can beat anything Wily throws at us!"

Blues chuckled. "Always the idealist, aren't you, bro?"

Rock grinned cheerfully. "Yup! What else can I be?"

"Sane, maybe?"

"That might be a bit much to ask, brother," said Roll.

"Sadly true..." said Blues.

"I _can_ hear you, you know," said Rock.

Roll smirked. "That was the point."

"Ah, the joys of sibling rivalry..." Bass drawled. "So glad I don't have any." Treble nosed against him and he absently scratched behind the wolf's ears.

"As much as I hate to think it, I suppose striking before Wily gets stronger would be wisest," said X, breaking up his sibling's bickering.

"A frontal assault?" Zero cried. "Who are you, and what have you done to X?"

X rolled his eyes. "It's our only choice, Zero..."

"Heh, now there's a plan I can get behind," said Bass, grinning. "Simple and no-nonsense."

"This is madness," Blues sighed.

"What, Proto Man, scared to get into a fight when you can't skulk in at the last second as the deus ex machina?" said Bass, smirking.

"I'm impressed you even know what that phrase means," Blues replied.

"You sayin' I'm stupid?"

Blues shrugged. "You said it, not me."

"He's based on Rock's design," Roll said. "That says it all right there."

"...Don't make me hurt you," Bass growled.

"I'm a lady, Bass," Roll sniffed. "Even you wouldn't stoop that low."

"Believe me, it's tempting."

"Okay, you two," said Blues, standing up. "Quit flirting and let's go before Wily rampages through town again."

"_What_ did you just say?" Roll cried.

"He said 'flirting', Roll," Rock supplied helpfully. "Whatever that means."

"... Big brother..." Roll gave Blues a death glare that almost made him cringe... but only almost. "You can get fast food tonight. I'm not making you dinner."

"Fine by me," said Blues, adjusting his sunglasses. "Spicy chicken sandwiches are always good."

"Not if I blast your face off, wise-bot," Bass snapped.

"Now, now, Bass," said Blues calmly, "I doubt you'd want Roll to have to clean up the mess I'd make of you if you started a fight."

"As much as I want to continue watching this amusing exchange," Zero interrupted, as Roll and Bass began to look murderous, "We need to get going."

"...He's right," said Bass. "Let's go."

-------

Five humanoid robots and one robotic wolf teleported in at the base of Skull Fortress. The installation loomed over them, the white skull glinting madly in the sunlight.

"So... we're just going straight in?" said Zero, looking up at the imposing building.

"Do you have another plan?" X asked.

"We don't necessarily have to go in with guns blazing," said Bass, with Treble winding around his legs. Everyone looked at him.

"Bass? Not condoning violence?" said Blues. "Now I've seen everything."

"Very funny, Proto Man," said Bass. "But seriously, I know that fortress inside and out. There's an entrance around here we can use to get inside without triggering the security systems. And once we're in, I can probably disable some things to make it easier. It'll be much more fun to blast Wily into the ground if we aren't deluged in spikes and disappearing blocks before we reach him."

"I can go for that," said Rock.

"Well, then follow me," Bass said, and directed them towards a dark patch among the rocks to his left. They trooped through a damp passage and emerged in the lower levels of the fortress.

Having Bass along certainly made the trip easier. Since it had only been a day, Wily either hadn't bothered or hadn't had time to change the security codes, so the black-armored robot was able to hack through most of the traps set for intruders. Bass grinned when Zero mentioned this.

"He didn't bother changing them because he doesn't know I know them," he explained, while typing into a computer panel beside a door. "After the thing with King, I decided I'd better learn more about this place. He doesn't think I've ever been down to the lower levels, anyway."

They progressed through the corridors, bypassing many spike pits, jumping puzzles, and security robots. They eventually reached the upper hallways with which Bass was more familiar. Here, there were no more traps to disarm, as Wily wasn't keen on falling into a bottomless pit while heading for the kitchen. After a time, they reached the door to the main laboratory.

"This is it..." said Rock. Bass ignored him and marched up to the doors, kicking them aside.

"WILY! I'm back! Show yourself!" he shouted, entering the room with buster raised. Treble bounded in behind him.

"Sigma!" X echoed. "The game is over! Get out here now!"

"...They don't seem to be here," Zero observed, illuminated in the green glow of his beam saber.

"So we just stormed Skull Fortress for nothing?" said Rock, sounding disappointed.

"Nah, not for nothing," said Blues, looking around the lab. "We can probably... 'liberate' some of Wily's stuff while we're here."

"...Yeah, I didn't have time to grab my PlayStation when I left before," said Bass. "Can we do that?"

"Later, Bass," said X. "We need to figure out where Wily and Sigma have gone, first."

"Where could a psycho Einstein-lookalike and an eight foot tall bald robot disappear to?" asked Bass.

"... The answer should be obvious," said Zero. "If they're not out attacking the world, they've gone somewhere in time."

"He could build a time machine that fast?" asked Rock.

"It's very possible," said Blues, walking to a table filled with scattered devices and examining them. "He already knew how to build the Time Stopper, so it wouldn't be difficult for him to recreate the device, especially considering how quickly Dr. Light did it..."

"Well, I guess the only way to tell for certain is to check his computer," said Bass.

"Which one?" Zero asked, looking around at the many monitors lighting up the room.

"He usually works on his laptop, but he backs most of it up on the mainframe," Bass said, walking towards the largest computer.

"It's password protected," said Zero, looking at the login box that had appeared on the screen.

"Allow me," said Bass, settling into the chair and typing something. The screen blinked and entered a system of menus.

"You know Wily's password?" Rock asked.

"Of course," said Bass. "Wily's a genius, but he's completely nuts. Comes up with all sorts of things that shouldn't see the light of day. I got into the habit of 'editing' his latest plans."

"What do you mean?"

"Let's just say, thanks to me you didn't have to fight eight kitchen-appliance themed Robot masters..."

Bass clicked through menu screens, while the others watched, completely lost. Finally, he said, "Here's his latest entry..." He suddenly frowned. "Damn."

"What's wrong?" Blues asked.

"It's in technobabble," Bass sighed.

"...Technobabble?" X asked, looking at the screen. Sure enough, although the words were in English, one wouldn't guess that from reading them.

"Yeah," said Bass. "Sometimes Wily likes to write his notes after watching Star Trek marathons to after midnight, and, well... despite what Mr. Spock says, logic has nothing to do with the process."

"I never pegged Wily for a Trekkie," Blues mused.

"Yeah, he seemed more the Star Wars type," Rock agreed.

"That would have explained so much," Zero mumbled under his breath. X glanced at him.

"Did you say something?"

"Nothing."

"So can you read it?" Rock asked, leaning over the back of Bass' chair to get a better view of the screen.

Bass swatted him away. "Of course I can't."

"Then what are we supposed to do?"

Bass shrugged. "I dunno, download it and take it to your pop?"

"I suppose that's the best solution," said X.

"Well, now that we've got that taken care of..." said Blues, straightening and rubbing his gloved hands together, "Who's up for a little looting?"

The blue Hunter frowned. "We should probably leave as quickly as possible before Wily's somehow alerted to our intrusion..."

"...You're no fun," Blues sighed.

"...We're not leaving without my PlayStation," said Bass. "I am _not_ having another Sony Man on my hands."

"If you edit Wily's plans, how did he ever get built in the first place?" Blues asked.

"Star Trek night."

"Well, go get your things, then, Bass," said X, forestalling more banter. "We'll follow you."

The black robot and Treble slipped off into the fortress without a word. X glanced over at Blues, who shrugged. X shook his head and placed two fingers to his temple.

"Come on, let's go before he gets too far ahead," he said, walking towards the door, the others obediently following.

The light of X's helmet and Zero's saber faded with their footsteps, leaving only the soft glow of the computer monitors, and the blinking status light on the capsule in the farthest corner of the room...

------

Bass entered his tiny closet bedroom. It appeared untouched, fortunately, and he knelt on the concrete floor and fished around under the bed until he found a tattered backpack. He began stuffing things into it: a box of dog biscuits he'd scrounged for Treble, the few articles of civilian clothing he owned, the PlayStation and its games. It wasn't long before he cleaned the place out. Blues and Rock arrived at the door as he was attempting to pry the blanket out from under Treble.

"This is your room?" Rock asked, looking at the tiny enclosed space with its furniture jammed together.

"Was," Bass replied.

"But it's a closet..." Rock said, noting the label on the door which was crossed out with permanent marker and re-designated underneath, _Bass' Room, no old men allowed._

"So what?" Bass snapped. "Treble, _get up_! We're not staying here."

Treble whined, but stood up, allowing Bass to finish rolling up the blanket.

"I'm ready," the black armored robot said.

"Good," said Blues.

Bass ignored him and exited the closet, the backpack across his shoulders and Treble trotting reluctantly in his wake.

------

Rush bounded through the kitchen door and tackled Rock as soon as the group reentered the house. The boy shoved him away, laughing, as the mechanical canine licked his face. The dog paused, however, when he spotted Treble and Bass lurking behind his master. He began to growl, but Rock chastised him sternly and the animal reluctantly slunk off to sulk in a corner, watching the intruding Wily-bots with an angry glare.

Informed by Roll that the doctor was working, the robots trooped towards the basement laboratory. They heard the sound of a welding gun at the top of the stairwell, and entering the main lab, found the doctor with a blast mask down, soldiering fine connections in a disembodied arm lying on a workbench.

"Dr. Light!" X called, as they walked down the last few steps. "We need your help!"

The doctor jumped, and immediately turned off the gun. "X!" he said, pushing up his mask. "Don't startle me like that! Can't you see I'm busy working on you?"

Blues looked from X to the arm on the table and sighed. "…I really hate time travel."

"I'm beginning to agree," Zero said.

"You're back soon," Dr. Light said, pulling off his work gloves and setting aside his tools. "What happened?"

"Wily wasn't at his fortress!" Rock said. "Neither was Sigma!"

The doctor looked grim. "That isn't good."

"We think they may have gone elsewhere in time," Rock said.

"That isn't good at all."

"We brought back Dr. Wily's latest batch of notes," X said. "It might give some hint of what he's planning next."

"Well, give them here, I'm sure I can figure it out," said Dr. Light.

"Good luck," said Bass.

The doctor took the disk X offered, and headed to the large computer along one wall. The others followed and gathered around him as he accessed the data.

"Can you read them, doc?" Blues asked, as lines of text scrolled past.

Dr. Light stared at the screen. "……I'm going to need a big cup of coffee."

The others looked at one another. Blues adjusted his sunglasses and sighed.

------

Roll brought her father the coffee, and since it looked like it would be some time before the notes were deciphered, she set about getting the household orderly again. At the foremost of this task was dealing with Bass. The Wily-bot stood awkwardly in a corner of the living room, apart from the rest of the family and guests. Treble crouched beside him, glaring at Rush, who was curled around Rock's feet against the opposite wall. 

"All right, Bass," Roll said, unceremoniously grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the stairs. He winced as the movement strained his injury, but the little blonde girl didn't notice his discomfort. "You're going to be here for a while, it seems, so I'd better find you someplace to sleep…."

She herded him along to one of the three guest bedrooms, which had a small attached bathroom. "You'll need a bath, too," she added, wrinkling her nose as she looked at him. He glared back at her.

"I do not."

"You do too. You're horribly dirty. Where did you sleep last night, the woods?" Not waiting for an answer, she bustled over to his bag and began ransacking it, shaking her head at his meager articles of clothing. "This won't do at all," she said. Heading to the corner, she pulled out some clothes from the storage wardrobe there. "You can borrow some of Blues' things, he's about your size… he never wears anything I buy him but at least they're useful now, most of Rock's stuff wouldn't fit you and X and Zero…"

Bass eyed the plain black T-shirt and blue jeans. They seemed harmless, though he loathed touching anything that had belonged to a Light-bot, but he doubted Blues had ever touched them either.

"Now, out of that armor!" Roll commanded, seizing him from behind by the head fins. Bass yelped.

"Hey, woman, what do you think you're—"

"Now, don't talk to me like that," Roll chided, flicking the release under his chin and struggling to remove the helmet. Bass tried to pull her off but he couldn't reach, and a few moments later, she emerged victorious, helmet in hand. Bass glared at her through the dark purple bangs that now fell into his eyes.

"Interesting color there," she remarked, and Bass growled at her. She ignored it and pounced on him again, pulling on his shoulder armor. He succeeded in shaking her off this time, retreating across the room.

"I can undress myself, thank you," he said, edging away from her and towards the bathroom, scooping up the fresh clothes on the way.

"Good," she said, standing up. "I'll be back in a little while, and I expect you to be clean."

"Whatever," he muttered, and the bossy little Light-bot left the room.

Bass had to admit the shower felt nice. He hadn't had them often while living with Wily, as robots don't have the same cleanliness issues as humans. The fortress' showers, aside from in Wily's personal bathroom, which Bass had no intention of ever entering, were cold and industrial, designed to remove caked blood and dirt from battle. The hot water of this shower was very relaxing, and Bass discovered fifteen minutes had passed before he remembered to use soap.

He checked his wound after dressing. The pressure of the shower spray had caused it to bleed again, although the damage had been repaired sufficiently to not cause him to electrocute himself. Binding it up again, he grimaced as he saw the sleeves of his T-shirt did not cover the dressing completely. Hoping Roll would not notice, he left his discarded armor in a pile on the floor and left the bathroom.

Roll returned to find Bass perched on the side of the bed, petting Treble absently. His hair was still damp, but he looked much cleaner and respectable, or as much as a boy with purple hair and warpaint could ever be. He looked up as Roll handed him a pair of sneakers.

"I hope these fit you," she said. "It was difficult finding something decent on such short notice..."

Bass ignored her and pulled on the shoes. They were blue, and so probably belonged to Rock, but fit well enough.

Meanwhile, Roll muttered to herself as she bustled around the room, opening the curtains and wiping away imaginary specks of dust from the furniture. "...everyone and their dog coming to stay, there's not nearly enough things in the pantry, I'm going to have to— Oh! What did you do to your arm?"

Roll had spotted the bandage, and pounced on him before he could yank his arm away. "How did you get this?" she asked disapprovingly, as she unwound the rag. Synthetic blood began welling from the injury again. "This isn't sanitary at all," she said, tossing the rag into the wastebasket. "Did my brothers give this to you? Or did you get it at the fortress? This doesn't look like a plasma burn..."

"It isn't," he mumbled. "Had to remove the tracking device."

Roll stared at him. "You did this to _yourself_?"

Bass shrugged. "I've had worse. Quit poking at it, I'm fine."

"Bleeding to death is not fine."

"Why do you care?"

"I don't," she snapped. "I just don't want you getting coolant all over my carpet. Come on, Father will fix you."

She dragged Bass unceremoniously from the room, Treble following leisurely behind.

* * *


	10. Tipping the Hourglass

* * *

CHAPTER TEN

_Tipping the Hourglass_

* * *

A half-hour later, a sullen Bass emerged into the living room, his newly repaired arm wrapped gently in gauze while the synthskin sealed itself. Bass had to admit, Dr. Light was a handy mechanic. The injury would be completely gone by tomorrow, probably without even leaving a scar. The doctor certainly had a different approach to repairs than Wily. He'd even administered a local anesthetic to numb the arm before working, something the German scientist had never done. Bass always refused to be put into stasis for repairs, not wanting Wily to meddle in his head without his knowledge, and the scientist had therefore taken great pleasure in causing the black robot as much pain as possible while fixing him. 

"Well, looks like he can clean up civilized, after all," said Blues, an infuriating smirk on his face as he adjusted his scarf in his habitual manner. The elder robot was sitting on the floor, a canvas chessboard spread out before him. X knelt at the other end, his brow furrowed in concentration as he planned his next move. Judging by the small pile of black pieces at the reploid's feet, Blues wasn't doing very well at the moment.

Bass snorted and walked to an armchair, sinking into it sulkily. Treble followed and laid down on his master's feet.

"Nice hair," Zero grinned, from his own seat on the couch.

Bass glared at him. "You're one to talk."

Rock, who was sitting on the floor watching the chess match, looked up when Roll emerged from the lab as well. "How's Father coming on the translation?"

Roll closed the basement door and sighed. "He's getting back to work on it now, but I'm worried." She walked to the couch and sat down beside Zero. "He'll be up all night at this rate."

"I'm sure Dr. Light can take care of himself," said X, moving a bishop to check Blues' king. Rock and Roll looked skeptical.

"C'mon, you two, your dad had to fend for himself before he built you," Zero reminded them.

"I don't know." Roll sighed again. "He pays more attention to his work than his health."

"There's no point fretting, Roll," Blues said, blocking the check with a knight. "The doc does what he wants, and if he won't listen to you, that's his problem. Overloading yourself with anxiety isn't going to help him."

"Easy for you to say," Roll muttered. "You don't even care."

"Okay, that's enough!" said Rock, cutting into the conversation before it turned ugly. "Let's just relax, okay? We can't change any of that now, so let's just enjoy having a little time off."

"Sensible suggestion, Rock," X said, shifting his queen a few squares.

"Always the peacemaker, huh, bro?" Blues teased, moving a rook. "Oh, and checkmate, X."

"...What?"

------

Morning broke on the following day, and the sleeping robots began to move about again. Bass shuffled downstairs in the shirt and shorts he'd used as pajamas, Treble clattering on the steps behind him. His violet hair was tousled and his face still drawn in the stiffness of sleep. He moved along the hall, attracted by the noise of voices in the living room.

"I brought you another cup of coffee, Father," Roll was saying, knocking on the basement door. The doctor had apparently locked himself down there. There was no answer from inside.

"That's what, half a dozen cups this morning?" Blues asked. He lounged in the armchair, Rock tucked in by his feet while watching morning cartoons. "I didn't know a human could consume that much caffeine and remain conscious."

"He's been in there all night," Rock said, looking up from the television.

"Father! I'm worried about you…" Roll knocked on the door again. "Come out!"

"Roll, we should let Dr. Light finish his work," X said, walking into the room, followed shortly by Zero who was wrestling with a comb in his hair.

"Yeah, but I'm worried too," Rock said.

"Let him be, he'll be fine," Blues assured him, ruffling the boy's hair. Rock glared up at him and ducked his head away.

"Good morning, X, Zero," said Roll, finally turning away from the door. "Did you sleep well?"

"Much better," Zero said, grinning. "That stupid dog was too busy staking out Bass' room to bother me."

"Yeah, thanks," Bass muttered, settling onto the couch, with Zero and X following suit. "At least Treble kept him away." The wolf in question gave a satisfied snort and laid down on the carpet, his eyes watching Rock.

"I'm sorry Rush has been bothering you, Zero," the blue robot said, ignoring Treble. "I don't understand it. He's usually really nice to everyone."

"Maybe he's jealous of my spectacular good looks and charm," Zero said, yanking harder on the comb as it encountered a large tangle.

"Maybe he thinks your hair is another animal trying to barge in on his territory," X teased.

"Still, I just wish he'd tell me what's bothering him," Rock said. "Maybe he needs a tune-up. I'll ask Father… if he ever comes out."

"He'd better not be goofing off in there," Bass grumbled. "I'll hurt him if he is."

"You wouldn't hurt him and you know it, Bass."

"Shut up, Rock," Bass retorted.

"Oh, on first name terms now, are we?" Blues asked.

Bass growled at him. "Don't make me hurt you instead."

"You're welcome to try."

Any violence was precluded by the sound of movement downstairs. "I think the doc's coming out!" Zero said, tugging the brush from his hair. The door opened a moment later, revealing the tired form of the doctor, holding an empty coffee mug. Roll took it from him.

"I have it!" he said, coming out and sinking into the armchair Blues quickly vacated for him.

"How'd you manage it?" Bass asked.

"Yeah, those files looked pretty indecipherable," Zero agreed.

"It took… a lot," Dr. Light admitted. "The caffeine gives bolts of genius!"

"….Bolts… of genius?" Rock repeated. "Are you sure you're well, Father?"

"Probably not, right-hand Rock…"

Rock stared at him.

"Uh, Doc…" Blues said, holding up his hand. "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"…Forty-two."

"…Yeah, this is bad, I think," said Rock.

"Okay, I'm having an intervention," Roll said firmly, taking her father's arm.

"Wait until I explain what I found, Roll," the doctor said, resisting her efforts to nudge him from the chair. "Then I'll go to bed."

"You'd better," Roll sighed, but sank to the floor to sit and listen, arranging her dress neatly around her knees.

"The principle is simple and you've probably already guessed what has happened," the doctor began. "Sigma took Wily back to his time so they can amass more weapons and the doctor can see the technology personally."

"So… you have a new time machine up your sleeve there, doc?" Zero asked.

"I'm afraid not."

"…Figures…"

"Some of the parts I used were extremely sensitive and seeing as the original machine was completely fried by your abuse of it…"

Most of the group looked at Zero, and he held up his hands defensively. "It was accidental, I swear!"

"…I no longer have the necessary components on hand," he concluded. "Unless you want me to disassemble one of you, that is."

"No, that's fine," said Zero.

"Really, Zero, I think you'd make a great time machine," Said X, smirking, and Zero glared at him.

"So aside from scrapping one of us, how are we going to get the parts?" Rock asked.

"I'll have to order new components, and rebuild others," the doctor said. "I also need to improve on the design, as you'll need a more stable vehicle if you're going to be time-hopping."

"How long will that take?"

"About a week," said the doctor.

"We don't have that much time…" said X. "Who knows what Wily could be doing?"

"I know, X, but that's the best I can do," said Dr. Light apologetically.

"It's all right, Father," said Rock. "We can handle Wily, no matter how much of a head start he has. And I'm sure the Hunters can protect the future for a while without you, right?" X nodded.

"And besides," said Zero, "this gives you more time with your family, X. I know you've been wanting that."

"…Yeah," said X. "I have..."

"We'll have lots of fun together, right, X?" Rock said. X smiled at him.

"Well, now that's settled, I'm off to sleep for a day or two," said Dr. Light, standing up with a groan.

"I'll look after him," said Roll, leading him by the elbow towards the door. "Keep quiet down here, boys."

The five looked at each other as the living room door closed. "I'm surprised he can still sleep after the amount of caffeine he drank…" Blues remarked.

"You've never had a caffeine crash, have you, Blues?" Rock asked.

Blues gave him an odd look. "I'm a _robot_."

"Trust me, they're not fun."

"…How would you even know?"

"Well, you know how busy it gets during robot uprisings," Rock replied, shrugging. "A few years back, I discovered WD-40 has about the same effect as coffee."

Blues stared at him. "…You've been drinking motor oil, and you think _I'm_ strange?"

"Yup!"

There was silence for a few minutes. Roll came back into the room to find them all staring blankly at one another.

"Well, you look excited," she said, settling onto the couch. "Father's sleeping, thank goodness."

"So what do we do now?" X asked.

Rock shrugged. "Hang out, I guess…"

Bass stood up. "I'm going to hook up my PlayStation."

"You're acting like you're moving in," said Roll. Bass went silent.

"It's not like he has anywhere else to stay, Roll," Rock told her. "We can't just let him go around without a home."

Roll nodded apologetically. "I guess you're right, Rock."

"Jeez, quit getting sentimental on me," Bass said, stalking towards the stairs. "I just want to go play Killzone. I'm bored!"

"You mean Final Fantasy 10, right?" Blues said.

Bass whirled around. "Shut up, Proto Man!"

"Hey, no need to get mad," Rock piped up. "Blues likes RPGs, too."

Bass' red eyes glimmered. "Ha! So the mysterious old robot has a soft spot for hit points. This is amusing."

Roll sighed. "I don't think you of all people should be insulting him for that."

"You going to stop me, then?" Bass challenged her.

"Are you really this stupid, or is it just your programming?" she shot back.

"Children, please," Blues said, rising smoothly to his feet.

"We're not children!" Roll and Bass shouted back simultaneously. Blues smirked, and Roll scowled, wagging a finger at him.

"You're only a few years older than I am, Blues! And Bass is… um…" She paused, and blinked.

"A lot younger," Rock supplied, thinking back.

"…Wow, Bass is like… three," said Roll, frowning.

Rock grinned evilly. "Hey, Bass! You have to do what I tell you! I'm older and wiser!"

"Shut up, rust bucket," Bass glowered. "I may be young, but I can still kick you all over this house!"

"Bass is only three years old?" X asked, frowning. "And how long has he been fighting Mega Man?"

"Pretty much for three years," Rock answered. "I don't think he was activated until after Wily was in jail, after the Sixth… and then he came right and broke him out." X was still frowning.

"You got a problem with that?" Bass challenged.

X shook his head slowly, and Zero answered, "Well, it's just that… most reploids are kept in laboratory conditions for the first one and a half to two years of their lives, to help promote proper learning development. Like human children, reploids can't immediately function in society."

"…And you guys are supposed to be advanced?" Bass asked scornfully.

"It lets us develop personalities on our own," X explained. "Trying to dump too much information into a reploid's brain at once results in well, an overload. Not knowing this, humans tried that with the first generation of reploids… many developed neurotic tendencies and ended up going Maverick."

"…That doesn't sound good," said Rock. "But you were the first, though, X? What stopped you from going Maverick too?"

"Well, I'd been sealed away, with my programming tested and retested," X said, shrugging. "I came out perfectly fine because I had that time to develop. And also, I didn't immediately go out and start fighting Sigma or anything… I lived with Dr. Cain for a year before other reploids even started to be manufactured, and it was a few years after that before I joined the Hunters. So I had time to create my own personality, as well."

"So what are you saying?" Bass asked. "That I'm gonna go crazy because I haven't had a nice, peaceful childhood?"

"No, not at all," said Zero. "It's not incredibly uncommon… You've met Axl, for example, and he was only about a year old when he arrived at Hunter HQ. But that's the exception, not the rule, and X was just commenting on how… well-adjusted you are, despite the fact that you were thrown into the world from day one."

Roll snorted. "Bass? Well-adjusted?"

"Comparatively speaking, yes," said X.

"Well, we aren't reploids, either," said Blues. "Our programming and our personalities were far more structured to begin with. Rock was designed to be cheerful and helpful, Roll to be kind and conscientious, Bass to be antagonistic and loyal to his creator, and I—"

"—was a mistake," Rock supplied helpfully.

"…thanks a bunch, little brother." Blues sighed.

"But at the same time," X said, "All of you have exceeded those programs. I mean, Bass has left Wily behind, Rock is a crimefighter, and Roll can be downright scary…" Roll gave him a disapproving look.

"It's quite a sight, really…" added Zero. "We were always taught that before us, robots tended to be mindless and dull. I'm glad to see that was a load of crap."

"Well, you weren't totally incorrect," said Blues. "Most robots still are like that. We just happen to be exceptions."

"Heh, well…" Zero said, "It's good to see robots who break the mold in a positive way. Are there any others like you?"

"Not really," Rock said. "There are only a handful of robot manufacturers in the world, and most aren't interested in creating truly sentient beings."

"There are the robot masters, of course," said Bass, "but they've never had much in the way of free will."

"Yeah, they're pretty much just excellent AI..." Rock agreed. "Not alive, like we are."

"Which is good, because it'd be difficult having to blow them up all the time, otherwise," said Blues.

"That's always the problem, isn't it?" said X, sadly.

Zero patted him on the shoulder. "Hey, buddy, don't worry about that again. We all do what we have to..."

"Well, why don't we get off this subject?" Roll said. "If none of you have anything better to do than stand around, I have plenty of chores that need doing..."

"Um, I need to go... out," said Blues, suddenly looking busy. "Later, sis." He teleported, the whistle dying away a few seconds later.

"I've got to show X the... front... garden. Yeah," said Rock, grabbing X's arm and pulling the taller boy from the room. Rush bounded after them, as did Zero a moment later, calling, "Wait up!"

Roll looked at Bass, who simply folded his arms and glared back. Sniffing disdainfully, she walked from the room.

"Men... no matter what era they're from, they're all the same..."

------

Days passed, and life fell into an uneasy routine. Dr. Light, after recovering from the caffeine, retreated to his lab to work on the new time machine. Roll spent most of her time making sure he ate and went to bed at a decent hour.

As for the rest of the household, Rock and X explored the house and generally tried to forge some sort of brotherly relationship. They exchanged a few more stories from their lives, but for the most part, mutually agreed not to pry. They wanted to enjoy their time together without worrying about the past or the future. Blues was his usual self, disappearing for long stretches of the day, but still spending much more time at the house than normal. Bass avoided Mega Man, Blues, and X as much as possible, but seemed to get along well enough with Zero. The two became quite amicable.

This went on for a little over a week. X grew more restless as time went on. Rock couldn't really blame him; he'd been pulled away from his world, his friends, and his responsibilities. The boy tried his best to keep his younger brother distracted from his problems, but he knew that, however happy X was to meet Dr. Light and the family, he still wanted to go home.

On the morning of the ninth day, X was sitting listlessly on the couch watching the morning newscaster drone on about stock reports. Rock walked into the room, senses still dulled by sleep, and sank onto the couch beside him. He promptly slumped against X's shoulder, blinking at the television.

"G'morning, X," he mumbled. "How're you?"

X put an arm around his brother's shoulders as the boy snuggled closer, using him as a replacement for the pillow he'd left upstairs. "I'm fine..."

"But you want to go back," Rock said, very observant for seven in the morning.

"Yeah... I mean, I..." X looked away. "I wish you could come back with us..."

"Well, we'll be with you for a while yet, anyway," Rock told him. "We still have to stop Wily."

"Yeah." X nodded. "And Sigma... though, I'm worried."

"About?"

"Well... how are we supposed to keep either of them from time traveling again?"

"Throw Wily in jail and bust Sigma into so many pieces he won't be crawling back together again," said a voice. Zero walked into the room, barefoot and tousle-haired. He grinned as the brothers turned to him. "Well, if this isn't a heartwarming family moment."

"Oh shush, Zero," X said, turning back to the television. Rock just rolled his eyes and continued leaning against X's shoulder.

Zero plopped down on X's other side. "You bored?"

"A bit," X admitted. "It's just the circumstances, really... if it weren't for Sigma, I'd be more than content staying here for a while..."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," said Zero. "It's really a nice place."

"I wish you could stick around too," said Rock. "It's not often we get to meet other robots... It's really been amazing."

X ruffled Rock's hair. "Meeting you has been one of the best experiences of my life, Rock..." he said softly. "Even though trouble has started... I don't regret it."

"Neither do I," said Zero.

"Well, thank you," said Rock, hugging X tightly.

"Good morning, everyone," said Blues, walking into the room. As usual, he was already completely dressed, his scarf arranged neatly around his neck.

"Morning, Blues," said Zero.

"Did the doc get any sleep last night?" the elder bot asked, sinking into an armchair. "He said he was hoping to finish the time machine soon."

"I think Roll forced him to go to bed," X said. "Whether he finished or not, I don't know.

"I just want to know when we're going home," said Zero. "I'm worried... I mean, who knows what sort of mayhem Sigma's up to. The Hunters can take care of themselves, but still..."

X nodded. "Yeah. It's our responsibility to be there."

"Well, all we can do is wait on Father," said Rock.

"Yeah," X said. "I wonder when he'll wake up?"

"Right about now, I think..."

X nearly fell off the couch as the doctor spoke up from behind him. Absorbed in their conversation, none of the robots had noticed him enter the room.

"Ha! It looked like X almost rebooted," said Zero, poking his friend in the shoulder.

X scowled, folding his arms. "Well sorry! I'm still not used to him being alive, much less appearing suddenly behind me."

"It's quite all right, X," said Dr. Light.

"What's the news on the time machine, doc?" asked Blues.

"I just need to put on the finishing touches," the doctor said. "It should be done by early this afternoon. Will you all be ready to leave then?"

"Of course," said X.

"All right, then," said the doctor. "I'll get back to work. You boys behave yourselves, and by that, I mean you, Zero." He disappeared into the basement.

"It's only been a week and already he knows you too well, Zero," X teased.

"Oh, can it, X," Zero said. "And change the channel. Only weirdoes like you want to watch thrilling weather reports."

"Says the soap opera fan…"

"Hey! Um… I don't… I mean… X!"

Rock grinned. "Maybe we haven't learned everything about Zero, after all."

"You suck, X," Zero mumbled, and sank further into the couch cushions. The blue Hunter laughed, and obligingly changed the channel.

------

Lunch came and went, and Rock was becoming impatient. Father would probably be done soon, but until then, he was completely bored. Getting up from where he'd been lying on his bed, he decided to see what the others were doing to kill some time.

Heading downstairs, he found Bass in the living room as usual, PlayStation controller in hand. Like Rock, he was back in his armor in anticipation of their departure.

Treble looked up when Mega Man entered the room, his eyes following the Blue Bomber's movements. A low rumble began in his throat.

"Uh, Bass..." said Rock, hesitantly. "Your dog is giving me funny looks..." The rumble turned into a growl.

The black robot didn't look up from his game. "Ah, he's just programmed to kill you. This whole 'on the same side' thing is hard on him."

"…Can't you um… _re_-program him or something?" Rock asked, as Treble bared his teeth slightly.

"Where would the fun be in that?"

"Um…" Rock decided a change in subject was warranted. "…You ready to go, Bass?"

Bass shrugged. "Yeah. Figured I'd play a little bit of Disgaea before we left... don't know if I'll ever see the old PlayStation again."

"Wow, now who's fatalistic?" Rock said, startled.

"Well, the mission we're going on is dangerous," the former Wily-bot pointed out. "We have to be prepared for anything. And don't you worry about me." He smirked. "I'm not going to die until I've destroyed you."

"…That's comforting to know..."

Bass laughed, not in a reassuring way. "And don't you forget it, Mega Man."

Rock decided now was probably a good time to move on.

He left Bass and his support unit in the living room and continued wandering. Entering the study, he found Roll by the bookshelves with a feather duster, reflexively cleaning.

"It's not dirty, you know," he said.

"You can never be too clean," she answered, not looking up.

He walked up behind her. "You don't look too happy..." he observed. "What's up?"

"Oh, don't mind me," she sighed. "I just worry whenever you go off to do something dangerous..."

"I'll be fine, Roll. I always am." He plucked the duster from her hands. She turned around and tried to retrieve it, but he held it out of reach.

She finally gave up and folded her arms. "Yeah, but this is far more dangerous than anything you've done before."

"And I'm also not alone this time," he replied, shaking the duster at her. "We'll all make it back in one piece. You'll see."

"I know, Rock." She closed her eyes. "Just keep yourself and our brothers safe."

"Me? Keep them safe?" He raised an eyebrow. "Why not ask Blues, that's his specialty."

She shook her head. "I trust him to look after you. I don't trust him to look after himself."

Rock laughed softly. "I understand. Don't worry, Roll. Leave everything to me." He tickled her nose with the feather duster. She gave him a mock scowl and snatched it from him.

"Go on, get out of here," she said. "Go bother someone else. I have work to do."

"Fine, fine…" he conceded. "But it's plenty clean already, you know."

"I'll be the judge of that," she replied, and shooed him gently out the door.

------

The afternoon skies were clear and cloudless, allowing the sun uninterrupted reign on the earth. Blues and X sat beneath a tree, in the isolated corner of the lawn Blues had apparently claimed as his own. The elder robot leaned back against the treetrunk, his eyes probably closed but the impenetrable sunglasses giving no indication. X ran his fingers idly through the grass, so green and vibrant compared with the scraggly, weedy varieties that grew back home.

"Blues…" he said finally.

The red robot turned his head slightly. An end of the yellow scarf dislodged from his shoulder and cascaded towards the ground. "Hmm?"

"I… well, we're leaving soon," X said, plucking a dandelion. He twisted it gently between his thumb and forefinger, examining the tiny yellow bloom. "But… I still don't really know that much about you."

"There isn't really much to tell."

"I can hardly believe that."

He shrugged. "I don't really like to talk about myself. I've never been good at it."

"I see…" X sighed.

Blues raised an eyebrow. "You really are uncannily like him, you know."

"What?"

"Rock, I mean," he clarified.

"How do you figure?" X asked.

Blues smiled slightly. "You've got the same... attitude, or tone, or something... I mean, you act a lot more, well, grown up than he does, but... I can see the doc based you more on him than me."

"…Is that a compliment?"

He shrugged again. "It depends on how you look at it."

"Well, not knowing you, I don't have much to go on for comparison," X pointed out.

Blues chuckled. "Then I guess you'll have to learn for yourself, little brother."

X closed his eyes. "I wish I could…"

"Hm?"

"I mean..." X tried to explain. "Once we head back to 21XX, I'll probably never be back here again. I won't have time to learn about you... or Rock, or Roll, or Dr. Light."

"Hm. I suppose not," Blues said. "But X, in life, friends come and go. You may never see us again, but... you will go on. Surely there must be something in the future that you look forward to going back to."

"Yes…"

"Then cheer up. Everything will work out, one way or another."

X chuckled softly. "You know, Rock said the same thing to me earlier."

"Good. That means he's smarter than I gave him credit for." Blues smirked and stood up, dusting bits of tree bark from his scarf. He looked up at the sun. "It's been awhile… The doc'll most likely be done soon. We should go get ready to head to the future."

"It sounds so mundane when you put it like that," X said, taking his brother's offered hand and standing up as well. They started walking back towards the house.

"Hey, you two! There you are!" Zero ran towards them from the front door, red armor and blonde hair glaringly bright in the sunlight. He halted in front of them. "The doc says he's done."

"Great," said X. "Are Bass and Rock ready to leave?"

Zero nodded. "They're waiting on you. C'mon!"

------

The group clattered down the steps into the laboratory. It had grown a bit messier than the last time they'd seen it. The covering had been replaced on the past X's capsule, and it was now being used as a second workbench, strewn with various tools and equipment.

"Ah, Rock... everyone..." Dr. Light said, as the group assembled. Roll was there as well, holding her feather duster and looking anxious. "Are you ready to go?"

"As we'll ever be," Rock replied.

The doctor walked to the workbench and retrieved a small device, only slightly bigger than a television remote control. It had several knobs and dials, labeled with various numbers. There was a small monitor displaying a world map.

"Here's the time machine," Dr. Light said, handing it to Blues. The others crowded around to watch.

"Hey, you made it portable," Blues observed. "Nice." He turned it over in his hands. "...Wait, what's this etched into the side?"

"...'Epoch?' " Rock read aloud.

Blues frowned. "What….?"

"No, it says 3P-0CH," the doctor explained. "It's just a label I gave that particular part so I wouldn't get it mixed up during assembly."

"That's awfully… coincidental…" said Blues.

"What are you talking about?" Zero asked.

"…Nothing," Blues replied. He handed the time machine to X, who also examined it.

"So how does this work?" he asked.

The doctor pointed to various parts of the device as he explained. "This knob here sets the spatial coordinates for your landing, while this one sets the era. I'll warn you, it only works in full yearly increments, so however much time passes in your current time period, will also pass in the future or past as the case may be."

"Well, I suppose that will cut down on some confusion," Blues said.

"Indeed. Wily's device has to work on similar principles, so you should be all right. Now, I've set this button to return you automatically to the lab, and there's room to program in other locations. I'd advise you pick a deserted spot to land in your era, X, so civilians don't see time-travelers suddenly appearing in front of them."

"Got it," said X.

"Now, before you all leave," said the Doctor, turning back to the workbench, "I have something for the three of you. Come over here, Rock, and hold out your hand."

Rock obliged, and Dr. Light pulled off the boy's glove. He plugged a cable into the small indent at the base of the robot's palm. Rock winced slightly as the metal pierced his synthflesh. "What's this?" he asked, as the doctor pressed a button on his computer.

"An upgrade for your buster," Dr. Light replied. "If you are going to fight in the future, your weapons need to be up to par. This program will allow your buster to use energy more efficiently, and it should allow you to fire plasma shots with power more equal to X and other reploids." He unplugged the cable, and beckoned Bass over.

"Wow…" said Rock, rubbing his hand. The synthflesh was already beginning to reseal over his access port. "Thank you, Father."

"It's still a bit experimental, so be careful, Rock," the doctor cautioned. "But now you should be better able to protect yourselves." He unplugged Bass and looked at Blues, who came over somewhat reluctantly.

"…Thanks, Doc," he said, once the process was complete. "It'll be a big help."

"We should probably get going, if you three are set," said Zero.

X nodded. "Well, this is goodbye, Dr. Light..." His tone was more subdued now. "I suppose... I may never see you again..."

"Don't be upset, X," the doctor said, smiling at him. "You've got a life to go back to. While I would be happy to get more time to get to know you, it is more important that you live that life."

"You're right, of course..." X said, though he didn't look convinced.

"That is what I built you for, after all. To live your life." He put a hand on X's shoulder. "Now, it's best you get moving. Take care of yourself, son."

"Yes, Father," X said, nodding. "Leave it to me!".

"Be careful, X," Roll said, giving him a brief hug. "You too, Rock," she continued, hugging him as well.

"And good luck to you all," Dr. Light concluded. "We're counting on you."

"Right," said Blues. "Let's do this."

X programmed in the coordinates. Roll and the doctor stepped back, and the group gathered around him.

"Ready?" he asked. Four other heads nodded.

"All right, here we go." He took a deep breath and pressed a button. Instantly, space began to ripple.

"Bye, Father!" Rock called, and the portal rippled shut around the group, sending them on their way to the future.

* * *


	11. A Cut Above

* * *

CHAPTER ELEVEN

_A Cut Above_

* * *

The light diffused, and the group landed amid the broken rubble of the abandoned district. The nausea of time travel wore off quickly for Blues, Rock, and Bass this time, allowing them to remain conscious, and the three sat and waited for X and Zero to revive. 

X was awoken by a beeping in his helmet. Sitting up with a groan, he tapped his communicator. "...X here."

"_X_!" came Alia's reply, shrill and painful to X's recovering auditory sensors. _"You're alive! Oh, thank god... Where have you been? Your signal just disappeared and you've been gone for over a week and I thought you'd been killed or gone Maverick or were horribly injured and unable to contact me and don't you ever dare scare me like that again!"_

"And what am I, scrap metal?" Zero asked, tapping his own communicator into the channel.

_"Oh, Zero... you're okay too."_

"Glad to know I'm missed," Zero said sardonically.

"I'm really sorry to have worried you, Alia," said X. "Believe me, if we could have contacted you, we would have. Has everything been okay while we were gone?"

_"Uh... no."_

"What? What happened?" X asked, concerned.

_"Sigma's back,"_ said Alia grimly.

"We've figured _that_ out already, thanks," said Zero.

_"How?"_ Alia asked, then changed her mind. "_Never mind, just get back to HQ pronto. Signas isn't happy about you vanishing on the brink of a Maverick rebellion."_

"He'd better get over it," said Zero. "It's not like he's out here getting his hands dirty."

_"Zero!"_ Alia cried, winding up for a long lecture, but X cut her off.

"Alia, it's okay," he said. "We've had... a long week. We're heading back now."

"_You'd better be. Stand by, I'll transfer your coordinates to the teleporter room_."

_-----_

They solidified a few moments later in the teleportation room, the walls of blinking computer monitors coming cleanly back into focus. Behind his desk stood the same Reploid who had sent them off to Vile's lair, an irritated look on his face.

"Hey, Scotty! We're back!" Zero said, with a wry smile.

"No kiddin', doofus," Scotty grumbled.

Zero raised an eyebrow. "Man, what's got your circuits in a loop?"

"Freakin' Alia," Scotty muttered in reply.

"What about her?" X asked. "Is something the matter?"

"Oh, you bet something's the matter, Commander." Scotty spun around, furrowing his brow in annoyance. "You wanna know what happened?"

"Shoot," X said.

"That crazy broad went nuts on me when you up and disappeared!" Scotty exclaimed, throwing his arms up in the air. "I thought she was gonna tear my freakin' face off! Do you know how long it took me to get her to calm down? And then she was thinkin' it was somehow _my_ fault the instruments couldn't pick you guys up! Sure, I mean... I spilled Coke on that transmitter once, but that was a long time ago!"

Rock had to stifle a giggle as the transporter operator got deeper and deeper into his rant, accompanying his words with violent hand gestures. "Man, it was like she was gonna punch her fist through my chest and pull out my power generator and eat it or somethin'! And then after that, she's been calling me like, every hour on the damn hour to see if your signal was back up, even though she could monitor it from the control room. I swear, that lady's just plain nuts!"

X's face paled. "Did she really do all of that?"

"Pretty much," Scotty replied. "I mean, I exaggerated some here and there, but seriously, X. You'd think that crazy broad was your wife or something! Jeez!"

Zero smirked and shot X a look he chose to ignore.

Scotty shook his head. "Seriously man, get up there and show her that you and Zero are okay. I don't need another call interruptin' my work!"

"And by work, you mean that pinball game you've been addicted to," Zero said, folding his arms.

"That is flagrantly false and I will deny it up and down if you tell his Lord and Master Signas," Scotty replied, with a regal tone. "Now, get going. I'm still tryin' to get the high score. I don't need you idiots here distractin' me." The reploid turned back to his console.

X rolled his eyes at Zero, then motioned for the group to follow him. They stepped off the transporter pad, and headed for the door.

No sooner had they entered the hallway when Alia appeared, barreling around the corner at high speed. "X!" she said, halting in front of them. "Good, you made it. Hurry downstairs, I think Signas is going to blow a gasket if you don't come soon."

"Thanks, Alia," said X.

Alia's expression softened. "I'm sorry to push you, X, but... it is important. You've been missing for so long and everyone is worried. I'd rather not see you two demoted..."

Zero snorted. "He doesn't have the guts to do that to the heroes of eight Maverick wars, Allie."

"Don't call me that," Alia snapped, and Zero smirked.

"Alia has a point, Zero," X said. "I'd rather not test him. And we have been gone for too long."

"It wasn't your fault, though," Rock said. Alia turned and finally noticed the three guests following in their wake.

"Hey, X... why are these three still with you? Could they not recover their device?"

"No, they did," X said. "It's kind of related to where we've been the past week and a half..."

"I suppose we'd better explain everything to Signas," Zero said, glancing at the three robots for their permission. Blues nodded.

"It'd better be a good story," said Alia, as they stepped into the elevator.

"It is," said X, "Though I somehow get the idea he won't believe it."

"What do you mean?"

"Just... come along and hear for yourself, Allie," said Zero.

"...Alright," she replied. "And I said, don't call me that."

The elevator continued its descent, towards the fortified basement and the central control room.

X glanced over at Alia. "Hey, Alia, what's this we heard about you heckling poor Scotty?"

The navigator snorted. "Poor Scotty nothing. That idiot spends more time goofing off than doing his job."

"You know that's not true," X said, smiling at her. "Did you really think we were in trouble?"

"Well... yes!" she said. "You've never disappeared for so long before... Just because you're Mega Man X doesn't mean you're immortal, you know!"

"Yes, but he has the great Zero along," Zero said, throwing an arm around X's shoulders. "Everyone's immortal compared with me!"

"...Yes, I suppose you're right," Alia sighed.

"Alia," X said gently, pushing Zero's arm away. "We know what we're doing, and the risks involved. You don't need to run yourself frantic over us."

"I'm your navigator," Alia said stubbornly. "It's my responsibility to keep you two out of trouble."

"Sounds like your concern for X was going beyond simple professionalism, though," Zero said, with a devilish smirk.

"Oh, shut up, you," Alia snapped, folding her arms and turning away. Rock thought he saw the trace of red on her cheeks. "You're my friends, I'm entitled to worry."

"And you seemed _so_ worried about _me_ when we first called in today."

"Zero, be quiet!"

The argument was cut short as the elevator doors opened and the group stepped out into the central control room. It was a wide, open space, framing a large viewscreen. A bank of computers faced the screen, with more around the periphery of the room. Many Hunters moved about, performing various tasks.

Near the center of the room, beside a smaller viewscreen, was a massive reploid. He was easily as tall as Sigma, dressed in black military-style armor. Green crystals on the front of his armor gave the impression of officer's buttons. Axl stood beside him, surveying images on the screen.

"Hey, Signas!" Zero called, as they approached. The large reploid looked up, along with many others in the room. Most of the Hunters seemed relieved at seeing the two Commanders returning.

"Zero! X!" said Axl happily, as the group halted in front of him. "Where the heck have you been!"

"Nice of you to finally join us," Signas said dryly. "Were you having a nice, week-long hoverbike ride in the country?"

"It's a bit more complicated than that, I'm afraid," said X.

"Anyway, your explanation can wait," Signas said, returning to the viewscreen. "We have a bit of a problem on our hands, as Alia has no doubt told you."

"Yeah, Sigma's back," Zero said. "We're well aware of it."

"Zero's right," said X. "We fought with Sigma before our radio contact was broken."

"Then you are also aware," said Signas, "that within the past week and a half while you were vacationing, he has managed to assemble a new army?"

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me," said Zero.

"Yeah, but this army is... different," said Axl.

"He's predictably reassembled a team of mechaniloids and minor Mavericks, but he also has a batch of entirely new generals," said Signas. "I'll show you."

He moved to the computer and pulled up some images on the viewscreen. They were grainy images, probably from some security camera, but the subjects were distinct enough.

"Crap," said Bass.

"Robot masters!" said Rock, staring at the screen. Sure enough, there was the familiar scissors of Cut Man, as well as more shadowy shapes that he couldn't identify but knew must belong to more of the robots.

"Why the heck did he rebuild Cut Man?" Blues wondered.

Signas turned, finally, noticing the three robots tagging along with the Hunters. "X, Zero, who are these three? Civilians shouldn't be in the war room!"

"They're a part of the long story we mentioned earlier, Signas," said X.

"And they're far from being civilians," Zero added.

"They're... unique," said X, carefully. "And much more than they appear."

"Well?" Signas asked, impatient with his Hunters' ambiguous statements. "Who are they?"

"...I think we'd best find someplace to sit down, first," said X. "It'll take a while..."

"I suppose we could reconvene in my office, then," said Signas. "But you'd better have a damn good explanation for this, X, Zero..."

---

A short while later, the group assembled in Signas' office. It was a moderately spacious room, with a long, flat holographic window currently giving a view of the front lawn. A comfortable leather couch and several chairs circled a desk, extra large to accommodate the general's tall frame. Everyone settled themselves into seats, with Bass, Rock, and Blues on the couch (Bass scooted as far away from the other two as possible), Alia, X, and Axl in chairs, and Zero lounging nonchalantly against the wall behind X.

"Well, now that we're all settled," Signas said, resting his chin on his hands. "Let's hear your story. I'm tired of wasting time."

"Time is exactly the point," said Zero.

"Don't play games, Zero," Signas said, frowning at the crimson Hunter.

"Well, to be blunt," said X, seeing that his commanding officer, and the others in the room, would not be tolerant of more delays. He waved his hand towards the trio on the couch. "These three... are time-travelers."

There was utter silence in the room. Everyone turned to stare at the three robots, who looked rather uncomfortable under the scrutiny.

"...What?" asked Signas, finally.

"That's impossible," said Alia.

"According to current scientific theory," said X.

"The temporal theory is nearly a law, X," said Signas, his eyebrows furrowed. "There should be no way to interfere with it."

"And we're telling you that these three came from a different time," Zero said, folding his arms.

"Fine, I'll bite." Signas pointed to Rock. "You, the blue one! What is your name, and where do you come from?"

"My name is Mega Man, sir," said Rock, trying to ignore the startled reactions that pronouncement brought. "You can call me Rock, though. I come from 20XX."

"...Cute," said Signas, obviously still skeptical. "So this little blue robot thinks he's your predecessor, or something, X?"

"Yes, actually," said X, firmly.

"And how do you know they're telling the truth?" Axl asked, frowning at Rock.

"No offense, X, but this is hard to swallow," Alia agreed.

"...We met Dr. Light," X said softly.

Signas stared at him. "X, when was the last time you recharged?"

"Damn it, Signas, he's not joking with you!" Zero exploded, tired of the whole situation. He pushed himself off of the wall and stood gripping the back of X's chair with both hands. "We met Dr. Light in the past. That's why our signals vanished—we were a _hundred years_ before this time. These three are Mega Man, Proto Man, and Bass." He pointed to each. "Mega Man _is_ X's predecessor. And Proto Man, the red one, is the first sentient humanoid robot ever built."

The room was silent again, staring at Zero this time.

"...Is this true, X?" said Alia, finally.

"Yes."

"You can examine me, if you want proof," said Rock, hesitantly. "Just... no disassembling."

"That won't be necessary," said Signas, but he still looked unconvinced.

"You want proof, then?" said Bass. "We know who's helping Sigma, It's a guy named Dr. Wily. He comes from our time!"

"Wily?" Axl asked.

"I've heard that name before," mused Signas.

"You believe?" asked Blues, finally speaking up. "It's only been a hundred years... how could a madman like Wily possibly be forgotten?"

"What do you mean?" Alia said.

"Well, he only tried to take over the world eight or nine times..."

"Where have I heard that before...?" Axl sighed.

"You'll have to forgive us," Signas said. "Both humanity and reploidkind have been through a lot this past century... and record keeping is not what it should be."

"Well, what happened then?" Bass asked.

The Hunters looked at one another, unsure. X glanced up at Zero, who shrugged.

"...I suppose time is messed up enough already," he said. "Go ahead and tell them, X..."

X sighed, but nodded. "Somewhere around... it's been a full century, by now... there was a great event, which we call 'The Cataclysm'. No one is certain who started it, or how it came about, but when the dust settled, most of the human and animal population of the planet had been annihilated."

The three past robots could only listen, horrified, as the blue Hunter continued. "Most historical records were lost in the devastation, as well, with the period just before the Cataclysm suffering the most. Only a handful of scholars really have a working knowledge of the pre-Cataclysmic past, now. Reploids and humans are far too concerned with their present..."

"...This future sucks!" Bass said finally, summing up Rock and Blues' feelings with perhaps a little more vehemence. "We're dead, the whole planet's dead, some bald weirdo keeps tryin' to take over what's left of the world, and no one even _remembers_ us?"

"Somehow, I wonder if you and Wily had a hand in causing this 'cataclysm', Bass..." Blues remarked.

"Hey, shut up!" Bass snapped. "Wily's never wanted to destroy the world, just take it over! At least, until now..."

"Calm down, you two," Rock interceded. "We don't even know what or who caused it... and Bass is right. Wily may be evil, but his whole ambition is to rule the world, not destroy it."

"Excuse me," said Signas, "but this Wily... he is human, correct?"

"Yeah, why?" said Bass.

"And you said Sigma's allied with him?" Axl asked.

"It appears so," Blues said.

"...Why would Sigma work with a human?" Signas asked.

"We have no idea," said X, shaking his head. "And that is what's even more unsettling about this scenario."

"Regardless of the reason," Zero said, "We've got two allied evil geniuses bent on world domination, with a time machine at their disposal."

"Well, needless to say, we can't allow Sigma to win, time travel or no time travel," said Signas, straightening and assuming a more authoritative tone. "X... Zero... I must ask you to aid us in defeating him once again."

"Of course," said X.

"It's our job, anyway," said Zero, shrugging.

"...What about us?" Rock asked.

Bass nodded. "Yeah. If you think we're going to sit out like chumps, forget it."

Signas paused. "Maverick Hunter regulations require that all civilians be kept out of combat situations—"

"Stick it, you," Bass interrupted, glaring at the general. "I've got as much fight in me as X or Zero. They've seen it. I can handle myself in battle better than most of your Maverick Hunters."

"Bass!" said Rock, alarmed at Bass' disrespect.

"Don't look at me that way," the black robot replied. "I'm not going to put up with him pushing me around when he has no authority to..."

"Bass, we're guests here. Attempt to be polite," Blues sighed. "But I agree with you. And I'm sure Rock does too."

Rock gave Bass another disapproving look, but nodded. "Signas? All of Sigma's new generals... we've fought them before, in our time. We know their strengths and weaknesses. Please, let us help you."

Signas cleared his throat, and the protests died away. "—_As I_ was saying," he said, folding his hands on the desk before him, "Considering you three technically do not exist... I have no power to tell you to do anything."

"All right!" said Zero.

"Thanks, Signas," said X.

"Technically, you have nothing to thank me for," said Signas.

"...Just like this conversation technically never happened?" Alia asked.

"Exactly," said Signas, nodding. "Time travel does not exist. Sigma has not allied himself with a villain from the past. We certainly are not speaking with the first robots ever created, and it is a great honor to not do so, I may add."

"The pleasure isn't ours," said Blues, with his trademark mysterious smirk.

"Most definitely not," Rock agreed.

"Okay, could you guys stop that?" asked Bass. "I'm getting confused."

"No problem, Bass!"

"...Wait, does that mean you're going to stop or not?"

The rest of the assembled group broke into laughter at Bass' predicament. The black robot sunk further into the couch cushions, folding his arms and scowling.

"All joking aside," said Signas, cutting smoothly into the exchange, "it is imperative you stop Sigma and whoever may be helping him as soon as possible, X."

"We'll do our best, sir," said X. "Do you have any information on where he is operating?

Signas frowned. "...He appears to have moved into a... large, skull shaped castle to the north of the city. It is... very odd. It most certainly wasn't there last week..."

"...Typical," Blues sighed.

Rock groaned. "I hope there aren't spikes... those suck."

"Oh, there will be," X assured him darkly.

"There always are. Why can't Wily build a normal fortress like everyone else!"

"Normal people don't build fortresses, Rock..." said Blues.

"Dr. Cossack was supposed to be pretty normal, and _he_ built a fortress."

"With spikes in it. And it was because Wily kidnapped his daughter. And roboticists aren't exactly ordinary citizens, anyway."

"Well, what's to stop Father from building a fortress, then?" said Rock, throwing up his hands. "Complete with spikes, bottomless pits, and a stupid flying dragon boss or one of those Yellow Devils!"

Blues put a hand to his temple. "...Do you listen to yourself when you talk?"

"Obviously not," said Rock.

Bass rolled his eyes. "Well, if Dr. Light did build a fortress like that, Wily wouldn't have to build one himself because you'd never get out of your own house to attack him!"

"Bass, don't encourage him," Blues sighed.

"...Wow, come to think of it, getting a midnight snack would become excessively difficult..." Rock mused.

"Mega Man, I seriously doubt you have to worry about it."

"And we'd probably get Mets living in the pantry... Roll wouldn't be thrilled."

"I'd imagine not," Blues said firmly. "Now, can we worry about this later? I'd like to clean up the mess Wily's made before we become obsolete." Bass looked at him, and he continued smoothly, "Smart remarks out of anyone will not be appreciated."

"Ooh, so does that mean they _will_ be appreciated, then?" Rock asked.

"Agh! I hate you, Mega Man!" Bass growled.

Rock smiled cheerfully at him. "I'm not glad you feel that way."

"X, are all robots in the past this... unique?" asked Signas, watching the exchange with a combination of amusement and confusion.

"...Yeah, pretty much," X replied.

"I'll kill you!"

"Aww, thanks, Bass. You're my best friend, too."

"Aaaagh!"

"...I cannot believe I'm related to them..." X said, dropping his head into his hands.

Zero patted him on the shoulder. "I feel for ya, buddy."

Suddenly, a beeping noise echoed through the room. "What was that?" Blues asked, looking around.

"There's an incoming message from one of our scouting units," said Alia, touching her headset and looking at Signas. "It's for you, sir."

"Patch it through," Signas replied.

Alia nodded and relayed the information into the headset. A moment later, the viewscreen shifted from being a window to showing several boxes filled with scrolling data, and a voice emanated from the speakers, "Sir! This is Darre of the 22nd patrol squad... We've encountered Maverick units on the outskirts of the city."

"Where are you?" Signas asked.

"Sector B-34, sir. They're, uh... attacking a hair salon."

"...A hair salon."

"Yes, sir."

Signas sighed. "Mavericks... I don't think I'll ever understand them..."

"You wouldn't want to," said Alia. "The nature of the virus usually makes them insane."

"I don't think Signas was serious, Alia," said Zero.

"Does that really matter right now?" said X, standing up and walking closer to the microphone on Signas' desk. "Soldier! Do you have a visual on the Mavericks?"

"Commander X? Yes, sir," the reploid replied. The screen changed to a grainy still image of the front of a hair salon, with several Mavericks approaching.

"Great..." X said, looking at the screen.

"That... looks like Cut Man," said Rock, pointing to one of the images

"Figures _he'd_ attack a hair salon," Bass said, folding his arms.

"Don't worry, Darre," said X to the reploid on the comm. "We'll be down there in a few minutes. Hold them down until they arrive."

"Yes sir," the man replied, and the channel closed.

X rubbed his temples and turned to Alia. "Where is my unit at the moment?"

"Both the 17th and the 0th are on patrol in Eastern Europe," Alia replied. "There's a bad Maverick uprising over there."

"What about other units?"

"They're all deployed at the moment..."

"Great," X sighed. "Well, we should be able to handle this ourselves. It's nothing I haven't done before."

"Great!" said Axl. "Let's get going!"

"Axl, aren't you supposed to be reporting back to the 0th?" Alia asked. "You got everything you needed."

"Yeah, what are you doing here anyway, kid?" Zero asked, staring at him. Axl gave him a nervous grin. "You're supposed to be keeping an eye on the rest of those hooligans in my unit!"

"It's really saying something when Axl's the most level-headed in a group." X said.

"I'm not that bad, X!" Axl defended.

"Then go get back to work!" Zero ordered.

Axl snapped to attention, giving Zero a smart salute. "Yes, sir, Commander Zero!" he said, with just the slightest trace of sarcasm. He then bolted from the room before anyone else decided to reprimand him.

"That boy..." X said, putting a hand to his temple.

"He's a good kid, X," Zero said. "Don't be so hard on him. He does his best, and that's better than a lot of the slackers we're calling Hunters these days..."

Signas cleared his throat. "However, all the other Hunters have been working hard for the past week."

"Hey, it's not our fault we weren't here!" Zero said.

"I know, Zero, but the fact remains that while we are talking here, that Maverick continues to do damage. Get moving, all of you."

"Yes, sir, General Signas!" said Zero, with a tone similar to Axl's.

X rolled his eyes at his friend, and stood up. "We'll take care of it, sir," he assured the general. Motioning for the others to follow, he headed out the door.

-----

Five streams of light descended from the heavens, taking shape just above the ground. Plasma fire was immediately audible from the area, and weapons were formed and drawn as soon as the group landed. They approached the salon, which was being guarded by a small detachment of Hunters. The scouting party looked relieved on seeing X and Zero.

"Commanders!" said the reploid who had called HQ. He was crouched behind an overturned car, as stray plasma bolts from the Mavericks inside the building whistled over his head.

"What's the situation?" X asked, as they approached and joined him behind the car.

"The Mavericks and their General are holed up inside," the man replied. "We've been reluctant to storm the building because we don't know how many there are inside."

"Any hostages?"

"Not that we know of. The business was apparently closed."

"We'll take it from here," X told him. Motioning to the others, he began moving towards the building, sniping Mavericks that showed themselves in the windows.

-------

Inside, the General paced the length of the room, his scissors clacking together angrily. This whole assignment was a joke. There was absolutely no purpose in securing this building. Yet, here he was, because that bald jerk and his bucket-headed goon thought his appearance was amusing. Cut Man was not used to this sort of humiliation. The memories provided by his old control chip showed that before, he'd taken orders from Wily directly. These new middlemen made him irritated... an odd sensation, really. Cut Man frowned. These were his orders, why was he questioning them?

He shook his head. This may be pointless, but Wily must have a plan, even if it was just to use him as a distraction... That thought irritated him as well, which only made him more confused.

But there was no more time for thinking when explosions blasted down the door. Cut Man reflexively tossed his scissors at the first figure to enter the door. The man narrowly dodged, the sharp metal grazing past his elbow. It left a dark red gash.

X ignored the wound and fired his charged buster. The plasma struck the generator of one of Cut Man's Maverick subordinates. The reploid exploded, taking another of his comrades with him.

Cut Man caught the returning scissors and returned them to his head, dodging away from another charged shot. He landed on a file cabinet and tensed as the rest of the party burst through the door.

"Hey, Cut Man!" Mega Man called, training his buster on the red and white robot master. "Long time, no see!"

"...Mega Man?" Cut Man asked, frowning at the blue robot. "Dr. Wily said you wouldn't show up!"

"He's less astute than I thought," said Proto Man, his shield hanging loosely on his arm.

"Funny, I was under the impression that the old coot never created anything useful besides me and Treble," Bass drawled, folding his arms.

"Meaning?"

"I'm saying Wily's never been smart, scarf boy."

"He builds self-aware robots for a living, Bass," Blues replied.

"And there's a difference between intelligence and sense, Proto Man."

"Well, if it isn't Bass," said Cut Man, looking at the black and yellow robot. "Dr. Wily's so-called 'greatest creation.' I have a way of dealing with turncoats..."

"Turncoat?" Bass growled. "Wily tried to kill me!"

"...What?"

"Or didn't he tell you?" Bass asked, noting the confusion. "I suppose he wouldn't have... It wouldn't inspire much confidence in his robots if they knew they could get tossed out for being loyal."

"You're talking nonsense, traitor," Cut Man snapped. "Now, it's time to make friends with my secret weapon!"

"The Rolling Cutter?" Rock asked innocently.

"...Shut up!"

"Doesn't look like Wily spent too much extra time on him." Blues remarked. The robot master glared at him. His oddly shaped face didn't help him look threatening.

"He does seem to have present-era technology in him, though," X said, his eyes glowing neon green as he scanned the robot master's specifications. "His systems register as a reploid's."

"That's right," Cut Man said proudly. "Dr. Wily has blessed me with better artificial intelligence. I am now smarter than any Robot Master has ever been! And I've used my newfound abilities to study your weaknesses, Mega Man. You cannot best me now."

"Looks like he has reinforced armor, too," said X, his eyes returning to their normal hue. "He's probably tougher than he seems."

"He's got scissors on his _head_," Zero said, dismissively. "Let's just beat the heck out of him. It'll be fun."

"I agree!" said Bass.

"Let's just get this over with," said Blues, raising his shield.

"Prepare yourselves!" said Cut Man, and tossed the Rolling Cutter.

Mega Man dodged quickly, and the cutter grazed harmlessly past, then swung back around to its thrower. The Rolling Cutter seemed to move faster than Rock remembered, but he ignored it and began charging his weapon.

Cut Man caught his scissors smoothly and leapt behind a shelf of hair supplies. There was no clear shot, but X and Zero both tried to flank from the left to see if they could get the drop on their foe. Rock watched them carefully circle around, but before they could attack, the Rolling Cutter lashed out. It grazed past Zero's shoulder armor, putting a dent in it, but not slowing his charge. Cut Man leapt over the approaching Zero, grabbed his Rolling Cutter as it returned and turned toward Bass and Mega Man.

Rock released a charged blast at the Robot Master, but Cut Man was swift enough to strafe to the side. However, he was not fast enough to dodge Bass's follow up. The blast caught Cut Man in the leg. He tripped, but as he hit the ground, he rolled forward and rose again. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the Rolling Cutter at Mega Man.

The blue robot easily ducked underneath the incoming attack and it flitted back harmlessly. Cut Man caught the blade and immediately sent it after Proto Man, who like his brother, easily dodged the predictable attack. He countered with a quick snap shot from his buster, which the robot master narrowly dodged.

Zero lunged in this time and swung his Z-Saber hard toward Cut Man, but the Robot Master slipped away from the swing with a quick jump backward. Zero pressed the attack, and this time he managed to strike Cut Man on the arm. The Robot Master winced in pain and pulled away.

The Saber hadn't penetrated the armor, but it had badly melted the outer casing. Rock saw an opportunity as Cut Man prepared to throw his Cutter again, and opened fire in conjunction with X. The two shots flew toward the Robot Master in a cross formation, and he was unable to avoid getting hit. Figuring Rock's blow would hurt less, he moved to avoid X's blast and was struck squarely by Mega Man's, sending him to the ground. He was knocked senseless for a moment; when he regained himself, he looked up, only to see Mega Man's buster trained on his head.

"I win again!" Rock cheered.

"It's not possible," Cut Man growled weakly, sparks dancing from the graze on his leg. "How do you constantly manage to defeat me?"

"'Cause Rock always beats scissors!" Rock replied.

X groaned at the horrible pun, and Blues said, "I thought I'd revoked your talking rights."

"And now, Rock has scissors!" Rock said, reaching down and touching a hand to Cut Man's forehead. He jumped back again as the robot master tried to snip off his arm, but the weapons data had already been acquired. Rock's armor turned grey.

"Grr... you haven't seen the last of me!" Cut Man proclaimed, then with a swift kick of his good leg, knocked Rock out of his way and darted towards the door. Rock fired a Rolling Cutter at his back, but the scissors glanced harmlessly off the doorframe and the robot master disappeared outside.

"Darn..." Rock sighed. He lowered his buster and returned to his normal color scheme.

Zero looked impressed. "Hey, so you can do that nifty weapon-stealing thing like X, huh?"

"It's not _stealing_, Zero," X muttered.

"You bet!" Rock said cheerfully. "I'll bet Father installed the same system in X as he did in me. D'you all want the data?"

Zero shook his head. "I can't really use it."

"...Guess scissors are better than nothing," Bass sighed, and pressed his palm to Rock's so the little robot could transfer the weapons data.

"I don't know if I'm compatible, but we can try," said X, shrugging. It did work, however, and X tested out his new weapon appreciatively. "Simple, but effective," he said, recalling his buster and returning to his normal color scheme.

"What about you, Blues?" Rock asked, turning to the older robot.

"...I'll take it too," he replied.

"You know," Rock said, as he transferred the information, "I've always wondered, why do you even have a weapons data acquisition system? I didn't get mine until Father converted me into a fighting robot..."

"Ah, well, that's a secret," Blues said, giving Rock his half-smile.

Bass folded his arms. "You swiped the schematics and built one for yourself, didn't you?"

"...You can't prove anything."

"You... built it yourself?" Rock said, his eyes widening. "And installed it? I didn't know you could do anything like that."

Blues shrugged. "It's difficult to be a rogue robot roaming the world without knowing about your own systems."

"But... modifying yourself?" said Zero. "That's kind of creepy..."

"It's not like I'm messing with my core programming or anything," Blues said, forming his buster and examining it. "It'd be kind of hard to perform neurosurgery on myself."

"Still, I didn't know you were a mechanic, Blues," said Rock. "I'm impressed. I know I couldn't do anything like that."

"You pick up a few things when you travel," Blues said, shrugging again.

"Well... what next?" Zero asked, looking around the room.

X was about to answer, but he was interrupted by a beeping from inside his helmet. "It's Alia," he said, raising his hand to his communicator.

"Like always," said Zero.

"Shut up, Zero," said X. "Hold on, you three," he said to Rock, Blues, and Bass. He tapped his communicator and began to speak, Zero tapping in as well. "X here. Go ahead, Alia."

"_Our scouts say the Mavericks are retreating_," her voice came back into his helmet. "_Are all of you okay?_"

"Yeah, everything's fine," X replied.

"_Good_," Alia said. "_What exactly was that Maverick after?_"

"Um... we... forgot to ask," X admitted.

Alia sighed in a burst of static. _"X, what are we going to do with you?"_

"Since when do we ask a Maverick what they were doing?" Zero wondered, cutting into the conversation.

"_Regardless... X, you should stay there and investigate. But don't take too long... we need you back here soon._"

"We... right," said Zero.

"Zero!" X snapped, and the blonde Hunter grinned at him.

"_I'm breaking contact before Zero decides to be any more of a smart aleck. Good luck, guys_." The channel went dead.

"So what's up?" Bass asked.

"We need to look around and see if we can find out what Cut Man was up to here," said X.

"Where do we start looking, then?" Rock asked.

"We don't," said Zero, rolling his eyes. "It's a hair salon. Cut Man was probably looking for a new model of scissors to put on his head."

"You can stay here if you want," X said, heading for the doorway in the back. "I'm going to have a look around anyway." He left the room.

"He's sure devoted to his duty," Blues remarked.

"Nah, it's because Alia asked him to," said Zero.

"Why would that matter?" Bass asked. "He outranks her, doesn't he?"

Blues looked from Bass to Zero, then turned to Rock. "Rock, go and help our little brother," he said.

The boy gave him a mock salute. "Yes sir!" He ran off after X.

"Now then, Zero," said Blues, turning back to the blonde reploid. "Continue."

"What are you talking about?" asked Bass.

"Maybe he should go and help, too," said Zero.

"Good idea," said Blues.

Bass frowned. "Not before you tell me what this is about."

"Trust me," said Blues, steering the black armored robot towards the back room. "It's nothing you'd be interested in. Just give X a hand."

"Fine," Bass conceded. "But don't think this is over, Proto Man."

The elder bot watched until Bass had disappeared from sight and earshot, then turned back to Zero. He smoothed out his scarf reflexively. "Now then, what's with Alia? You seem to enjoy poking fun at her."

"Not her," Zero explained. "Her and X."

"I thought as much," Blues said, with the faintest hint of a smile. "How long has this been going on?"

"For a few years," Zero said, thinking back. "Since the sixth war, it's really been noticeable... after she got over X having to beat up her ex-boyfriend and everything."

"Uh..."

"It was pretty funny, actually," Zero said, shrugging.

Blues gave him an odd look. "I'm sure it was."

Zero laughed. "It's a long story... but things were resolved in the end. And they had parted amicably long before that, anyway, so that really wasn't the issue... but I digress." He shook his head. "Anyway, like I said, she started being rather obvious after that."

"So... she likes X... and does he like her back?"

"Yup," said Zero, smirking.

"But he's being a clueless idiot and refuses to admit it to her."

"Yup," Zero affirmed. "He denies it, but I catch him daydreaming all the time. He's fallen for her bad but he's too dense to see she's fallen as well."

"He's more like Rock than I thought, then," said Blues, with a small smirk. "So... now that I know this, are you hoping I'll join in with the merciless teasing?"

"That was the plan."

"I'll think about it."

Zero shrugged and grinned. "Well, we've got all the time in the world, eh?"

"That was just painful."

Footsteps halted their conversation, and the others reentered the room. "We didn't find anything," Rock reported, as he moved to stand beside Blues.

"Yeah, it doesn't even look like anything was stolen," X agreed.

"They're Mavericks," Zero said. "Do they need a reason to attack things?"

"He's a robot master too," said Rock. "That doesn't help his case, either."

Bass folded his arms and leaned against a counter. "Let's just get out of here. I'm bored."

"You're always bored," Blues observed.

"So?"

"All right, then," X said, tapping into his communicator. "Alia? We're ready to head home."

"_Roger that, X,_" she replied, and the transport initiated.

* * *


	12. Thunderstruck

* * *

CHAPTER TWELVE

_Thunderstruck_

* * *

The group arrived back on the teleporter pad and were waved through by Scotty, who was still involved with his computer game. They made their way quickly back to the control room. Piling in the elevator with the others, X punched the button for the command center, and the machine sunk deep below the earth. 

The doors slid smoothly open, revealing the command center still as abuzz with workers as it was before. Signas stood at the main display. He looked back and forth between monitors, giving quiet orders to the reploids manning the computer consoles. The group left the elevator and approached the general.

"I'm glad you all made it back safely," he said, without turning around, as they halted within a yard of his armored form.

"It was no problem, sir," Rock exclaimed. "The mission was a breeze!"

Signas finally turned from the screen and nodded to the small blue robot. "Good work. You saved the city a lot of potential havoc by stopping him."

"It was just Cut Man," Bass muttered, folding his arms. "Why couldn't your Maverick Hunters beat him? It's not like he was that tough." He made no attempt to silence his disgust at the ineffectiveness of the soldiers on the scene before they arrived.

"The unit that was deployed there was a scout and reconnaissance team. They were only lightly armed and did not have the firepower necessary to complete that mission." Signas frowned slightly at the mouthy robot, but Bass wasn't even fazed. "Regardless, X and Zero handled themselves well, didn't they?"

"I guess," Bass grumbled.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," Zero replied, in an equally irritated tone.

X elbowed Zero lightly in the side to get him to be quiet. "So, have Wily or Sigma made any big moves yet?"

"Nothing we've been able to pick up, X," Signas replied. "Current Maverick activity is being dealt with by other Hunters, but it's mostly small-scale incidents. However, I'd like you and Zero to stay on call for action until further notice. You are to be ready to move out at a moment's warning, is that clear?"

"Yes sir!" both Hunters replied, saluting.

"Good. You are all dismissed." Signas returned the salute, then returned to the control panel.

The group collectively turned around and headed for the elevator and returned to the upper floors.

"Well, now what?" Bass demanded. "Do we just wait?"

"Yeah," Zero replied. "That's about the size of it."

"Great. Well, I'm bored," Bass replied.

"Bass has a point, I guess... what are we supposed to do?" Rock asked, looking at X. "I mean, I have no problem just hanging out, but…" He glanced over to his companions.

"I can fend for myself," Proto Man returned, looking at his younger brother. "It's Bass that's the impatient one."

"Shut up," Bass snapped back.

"Well, you three are welcome to go relax in my quarters if you'd like," X said. "It may be kind of boring, but at least you know you won't get into any trouble in there."

"Whatever," Bass muttered. Blues and Rock agreed, however, and the group began the walk back to X's room, but at a relaxed pace.

"Hey, Blues," Rock began, partway through the walk, "I was thinking. Didn't Cut Man seem a little more unusual than he used to?"

"Well, he was faster and stronger than he ever was before, that's for sure," Blues mused.

"I meant in temperament. He mentioned he had better AI."

"His armor was reinforced like a reploid's, too." X looked back at them. "So I guess Wily upgraded him in a lot of ways."

"Surprising he didn't slap any new weapons on him," said Bass.

"Even still, he was certainly more dangerous than he used to be... and it would be safe to assume that any other Robot Masters Wily brings back will likely be the same." Proto Man adjusted his scarf casually, belying the serious tone in his voice. "I think we should be prepared to handle stronger Robot Masters than ever before."

Bass shrugged. "We'll deal with that when we come to it. No matter how much stronger Wily's made those scrap piles, they're not going to be impossible to beat."

"Yeah, you're right," X said, opening the door to his room. Bass and Proto Man, and Mega Man walked inside, but X and Zero were interrupted by the sound of footsteps running down the hallway. X let the door close as the steps came closer.

"X! Zero!" Alia said, halting in front of them. "How'd the mission go?"

"No trouble at all, Allie." Zero laughed, and waved his hand in the air. "He was a complete chump."

"Don't call me that!" she snapped jokingly, punching him in the arm.

"Eh," Zero replied, with a shrug and a charming smile.

"It wasn't too bad, thankfully," X said. "Not as bad as some of the Mavericks we've fought, though Cut Man was a little stronger than Zero gives him credit for. But, I have no doubt Sigma has better soldiers at his disposal..."

"You're probably right, X," Alia said. Then she blinked, suddenly noticing the thin line of red on X's upper arm, darkening with congealed coolant fluid. "What… what happened to your arm, X?"

X glanced down, seemingly only just noticing the injury himself. "Huh? Oh, Cut Man's scissors clipped me. It's only a scratch."

"More like a _cut_," Zero cracked, trying to look innocent and failing dismally.

"Zero, please, stop," X groaned. "I'm not in the mood for puns."

"Oh, you're just being a wuss." Zero waved him off. "You have no sense of humor. One of these days it'll be the death of you."

"You're a fine person to be talking about death," X replied, sardonically.

"I happen to be an expert on the subjects of death and humor," Zero said loftily. "So you listen to Doctor Zero and take three stooges and call me in the morning."

"You're a real quack, Zero," Alia sighed, rubbing her temples gently. "X, how did you let that Maverick hit you, anyway?"

"He just kinda surprised me as I was entering a room. It doesn't even hurt."

"You should get it checked out."

"Auto-repair will take care of it."

"It could be serious!"

"Hey, why don't you kiss it and make it better, Allie?"

They both whirled on him. "Shut up, Zero!"

He raised his hands defensively. "It's not my fault you two make it too easy."

Rock poked his head out the door, followed by Bass and Blues, "X? Zero? You okay out here?"

"Come on, X, you're going to the med wing," Alia ordered, grabbing his uninjured arm and dragging him towards the elevator. "You could get infected."

"With _what?_"

"Your own stupidity! Now, come on!"

"That scene looks familiar," Bass muttered, as Alia and her reluctant escort disappeared from view.

"Huh?" Rock said, but Bass had already stalked back inside.

"Come on, Rock," Zero said, ushering him into the apartment. "I'd like to show you a lovely little board game X has called _Monopoly: Maverick Hunter Edition_. The one who's destroyed the most Mavericks at the end of the game wins!"

"...Since when does Monopoly involve killing?" Rock wondered, and the apartment door slid shut.

-------

They were only about a half-hour into the game when Zero got a call on his helmet communicator ordering them back to the control room. Rock, who had just drawn a Chance card ("_Go to Jail: Go directly to Jail, do not pass Sigma, do not retire 200 Mavericks"_) was not too upset at the interruption.

"They always have the worst timing," Zero sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Come on, Zero, you can continue your bloodbath later," Blues said, glancing pointedly at the thick stack of 500 Maverick notes resting beside the reploid's knee.

"Oh, funny," Zero returned, but stood up, offering Rock a hand. "Let's get moving, everyone."

------

The elevator doors slid open and Zero led the pack forward to where Signas was waiting, a rather impatient look across his face. The general unfolded his arms after noting the group's arrival.

Alia and X were already standing beside their commanding officer, X with his arm newly repaired. He nodded to Zero, who flashed him a grin and a slight glance towards Alia, which was responded to by an annoyed glare. X and Zero seemed to have perfected the art of voiceless communication over the years, complete with the arguments and relentless teasing of their normal conversations.

"Okay, what's up, Signas? What do you have?" Zero asked, coming to a halt beside his blue-armored friend.

"The reports are sketchy, but they come from a reliable recon unit." Signas turned to face the monitor, which flashed a picture of a large facility. "The 78th Intelligence Unit has uncovered unusual activity in one of the city power plants. Power outages have occurred all over the city and we suspect there is a Maverick under Sigma's control causing these problems."

"What makes you say that?" Rock asked.

"That power plant is usually very well guarded by mechaniloids. Whatever is in there wiped out the guards. The 78th reported seeing them deactivated; some of them by overload. Something's in there, and we need you to investigate."

"A power plant, huh?" Bass wondered.

"Sounds like Elec Man," Blues replied. "Of course, you never really know with Wily."

"Couldn't it be Spark Man too?" Rock cut in. "Or Cloud Man?"

"_Cloud _Man? Rock, don't talk." Blues put a hand over his visor in frustration.

"He never listens to you, you know," X observed.

"So you want us to investigate and clean out that power plant, right?" Zero asked, looking at Signas.

"Of course. I've sent the teleporter coordinates to Scotty and he should have them ready."

"Right." X saluted, then turned on his heel, heading for the teleporter. "Let's move out, everyone!"

------

The power plant had a fairly straightforward layout, having not been constructed with the intention of irritating visiting Maverick Hunters. Oddly, there were no enemies, or mechaniloids, anywhere in sight. The five warriors progressed down the hallways as they moved deeper into the facility. Only the emergency lights were lit, so the corridors were dim and eerie.

"Do you see anything, Zero?" X asked, checking the rear of the group to make sure they weren't being flanked.

"Nope. There's nothing here at all." Zero ignited his beam saber, holding it up like a torch to push back the shadows. The hallway was bare, only a large double door greeting them at the end. They reached it and carefully stepped into the next area.

"This is the central generator," Zero said, looking around. They were in a large room, surrounding a cylindrical object pulsing with light. Long cables extended into the walls, and computer monitors flickered with readouts.

"I don't see anyone," said Bass.

Rock scrutinized the shadows. "The robot master has to be here somewhere…"

"Indeed," came a voice from above.

The party looked up to find a young man perched calmly on the top of he generator, yellow booted legs dangling over the edge. He was dressed in gold, red, and black, his eyes covered by a marigold mask with a lightning bolt shape jutting up from the area above the bridge of his nose. He smirked when he saw them watching and dropped to the floor with the grace of a cat, walking nonchalantly in their direction.

"Told'ja it'd be Elec Man," Rock sighed.

"Am I that predictable?" the Robot Master asked. As he drew closer, they could tell he had been upgraded from his previous incarnations, now looking as humanlike as a reploid beneath the mask. His uniform hadn't changed much, however; he still had the light chest armor bearing the lightning bolt symbol, the red undershirt, and gold and black trim. He was far more imposing than Cut Man, probably due to the lack of scissors on his head.

"No, Wily is," Blues replied.

"Yeah, yeah he is..." Elec Man conceded, folding his arms and watching the party.

"What are you even doing here?" Zero asked, a hand wavering near his saber.

The robot master shrugged. "Oh, you know... wreaking havoc and mayhem..."

"The kind of stuff I used to do," Bass said, almost sounding wistful.

"Yeah. What's with that?" Elec Man asked, looking at the ebony robot. "All of a sudden you're a good guy? That's quite a _shock_."

X winced at the pun. "Ow. I think my processor just broke."

The yellow robot grinned. "Why, thank you."

"I... don't get it," said Rock, frowning.

"You wouldn't..." Blues sighed.

"Looks like someone's brain runs on a 9-Volt battery," Elec Man said.

"Nuh uh!" Rock stuck out his tongue. "I use AAs, you jerk."

"Mega Man," Blues said, raising a glove to his temple. "You're _fusion_ powered. You don't _have_ batteries."

Rock scowled at his brother. "I was trying to make a joke, but apparently _you_ don't get it..."

"Well," said Elec Man, breaking easily into the diatribe, "as much as I would not like to pick a fight with you five heavily armed robots, I kinda have to." He raised a hand, and the computer monitors around him began to flicker.

"What a re-_volt_-ing development," Zero observed.

Elec Man grinned. "I like this one. He has a _spark_ to him."

"I freaking hate you, Zero," said X, cupping his head in his hands.

"I know." Zero smirked.

Elec Man began gathering electrical energy into a ball and spinning it in his palm. "_Thunder_ous battle awaits!"

"Oh, that's it. You're going down," growled X, raising his buster.

"Not a pun fan? That's sad," Elec Man sang, throwing the electrical ball at X and dodging the salvo of return fire.

Elec Man was as annoying as Rock remembered, darting from place to place like a lightning bug. His electrical powers were also formidable, though with five targets to watch for, he fortunately wasn't doing much damage. Rock brought up his buster and tried to target the swift Robot Master, but Elec Man continually changed direction as he ran, jumping and rolling, evading the rain of plasma coming from X, Bass, and Blues.

Zero had a difficult time approaching Elec Man through the crossfire, but he was more than happy to continually force the robot to change direction by cutting off avenues of escape.

"You guys just don't give up, do you?" Elec Man said, leaping gracefully away from a plasma shot followed by Zero's beam saber. "Fine then, I guess it's about time I really retaliated." He threw out his palm, and electricity crackled violently and shot forth toward the group. "_Thunder Beam!"_

Bass and X barely had time to slip away as the blast struck the floor. It left a smoking scorch mark on the concrete, testament to the Robot Master's increased power. Rock looked back to Elec Man, who was preparing another attack. He seized this moment and unleashed a charged shot.

The impact caught Elec Man unprepared, and it rocked him backward, causing his charging Thunder Beam to shoot toward the ceiling. It struck one of the light fixtures, which shorted out in a rain of sparks and caused the rest of the lights to flicker.

Unbalanced but undeterred, Elec Man charged up for another shot, and this time launched it at the now lunging Zero. An instant before Zero's beam saber could connect, he was shocked by the Thunder Beam. Electricity coursed through the red Hunter, cutting off his aggressive attack and sending him staggering backward.

"Zero!" X shouted, firing off a shot at Elec Man. "Are you okay?"

Zero straightened once the bolts of electric energy ceased dancing over his armor. "Of course I am! He just got a lucky shot in!" He twirled his saber, brushing a few strands of his bangs from his eyes, and lunged again. This time he managed to get inside the robot master's defense. The blade cut into his shoulder, but couldn't penetrate the armor deeply. Zero quickly whipped the sword out and around and hit Elec Man in the side, causing the Robot Master to wince behind his mask. But instead of pulling away, Elec Man grabbed Zero's wrist and sent electricity coursing through his body, causing him to drop the Z-saber. Yanking hard on the momentarily stunned Hunter's arm, the robot master threw him to the ground after his weapon, and darted away to prepare another attack.

Proto Man fired at the moving Robot Master, but he simply dodged with a forward flip. Rock was slightly impressed. Elec Man was more agile than he had ever been before, and he was proving to be a challenge. But then, something clicked inside his head.

Instantly formulating a plan, Rock called up the data for Cut Man's Rolling Cutter. His armor turned gray in color, and he took careful aim at Elec Man, who was preoccupied with racing a gauntlet of plasma fire from Bass and X. As Elec sped past, the little blue robot sent a Rolling Cutter arcing towards him. The foe hardly saw it coming before the blade had embedded itself in his chest.

Elec Man came to an abrupt halt and looked down at the Rolling Cutter jutting from his torso. Sparks began arcing out from the injured area. He ignored the damage and reached for the scissors, drawing the metal object from his body. The tips of the blade were covered in gooey red coolant, but the wound itself didn't look serious.

Angered, the yellow robot tossed the scissors aside and retaliated with a Thunder Beam pointed straight at Mega Man. Rock slipped out of the way with a well timed slide, and launched another Rolling Cutter.

"Not this time!" the Robot Master shouted, leaping up on top of a generator. He punched his hand into it, and his body coursed with electricity, replenishing his power supply. A moment later, he leapt off the machine, landed on the ground and spread his arms wide. With a clap of his hands, the surplus electricity in his systems gathered into a sphere around him.

"Nice light show, but it won't help you!" Zero said, lunging again. He swung his Z-Saber at the masked robot, only to watch the blade glance harmlessly off the energy field. "What the?" he asked, with aggravated wonder. Elec Man ignored him and delivered a devastating looking kick through the barrier, again knocking the red Hunter away.

"Hit him hard, that thing won't last long." Proto Man called out, changing to the Rolling Cutter as well and firing two at Elec Man.

"On it!" Bass shouted back, switching his Bass Buster to automatic and laying into the electric sphere with rapid bursts of plasma. X and Mega Man shot took turns launching charged shots, and the shield finally buckled and fell. Bass continued to fire as the robot master started moving again, eating through some of the armor on his arm.

Elec Man grimaced in pain, then counterattacked with a Thunder Beam, knocking the other Wily-bot off his feet. Bass didn't stay down long, however; he kicked himself back up the moment he impacted the ground, though smoke curled fromhis chest plate.

The Robot Master then turned to X, who was charging his buster for another shot. The electricity caught him before he had time to dodge and he was sent sailing into the side of a computer terminal, glancing off the surface with a metallic clang. He didn't stir for a few moments. Zero was at his side instantly, while Bass and Blues upped their rate of fire to cover the blue Hunter until he recovered his senses.

Elec Man dodged the plasma and turned to Rock, shooting four weak but quick beams at him. Rock simply strafed out of the way of the first two and then jumped away from the others. The robot master uttered a curse under his breath, and because of his frustration, he failed to notice Bass rush up from behind. Of course, he realized it when Bass's hand suddenly grabbed the back of his neck. Before the black robot could capitalize on this, though, he was promptly electrocuted, then kicked away like a tin can.

This, however, gave X a clear shot. The blue reploid was back on his feet due to Zero's help, and though his armor was dented and smoke-blackened, his buster still worked perfectly. The charged blast caught the yellow robot master unawares and he slammed backwards into the power generator, electricity sizzling around his form.

Elec Man got to his feet shakily, clutching a plasma burn on his arm and coolant leaking from the Rolling Cutter wound on his chest. Immediately, four busters were trained on him. He looked around at his foes. "Ow... in my _current_ state..." he began.

"Damn your puns," X muttered.

Elec Man gave him a lopsided grin. "I think it's time to _conduct _my escape..."

"So you're going to retreat and re-_charge_, then?" asked Zero.

"Zero!" X cried, glaring at his friend. "Don't encourage him!"

"I'm still rather _shocked_ that I lost, but when my _power_ returns..." began Elec Man, but X had had enough.

"That's it! Pacifism be damned!" he shouted, and both Zero and Blues jumped to restrain him before he attempted to rip the yellow robot master apart with his bare hands. "Let me at him! I'll kill him! Seriously!"

Zero smirked, while struggling to hold the blue hunter back. "_Resistance_ is futile."

The number of bad puns and the stress from the fight finally overwhelmed X. With an odd noise, his eyes rolled back and he slipped into stasis, hanging limply in Zero's arms. The crimson Hunter blinked and shook his friend, but X did not respond.

"Whoa. Blackout," Elec Man commented.

Blues watched as Zero tried to tip the other hunter upright, only to have him fall backwards again. "...I've never seen someone shut down because of puns before..."

"Seriously. That guy's a few Ohms short of a circuit..." said Elec Man, shaking his head. "But anyway, I really should be leaving... you know, 'cause you beat me and all."

"Well, considering X..." Zero said, looking down at the oblivious-to-the-world blue bomber, "I'd call it a draw."

Elec Man shrugged. "I don't really care." He turned his back on the party and started walking away. "As far as I'm concerned, you won. Anyway, I'm gone. See ya!" He flashed them a final brilliant smile and vaulted gracefully onto a nearby bank of computers, springboarded back to the top of the generator, and then disappeared in a column of teleportation light.

"What a nice young Maverick," Zero said.

"He always was the best mannered out of the first batch of Robot Masters," Rock agreed. He still remembered the original Elec Man from before Wily stole the Robot Master prototypes for his first world-domination attempt. The robot had been cheerful and pleasant... but not alive. Wily had rebuilt various Robot Masters, including Elec Man, several times over the years, but they had never achieved the sentience of Blues, Rock, and Roll. But this time... he didn't know. Elec Man didn't act like a robot master anymore. He obviously had his old memory chip, but he was too lively and engaged with the world for Rock to write him off as a mindless AI drone. He also looked more like a reploid than anything now. Like with Cut Man, Rock wasn't sure what to think of this resurrected foe.

"You know, though, I'm not even certain these guys _are_ Mavericks," Zero said, obviously having thoughts similar to Rock. "I mean, they're on Sigma's side and all, but I'm not getting virus vibes from them."

"Hmm... that's a distinct possibility," said Blues. "Even though Cut Man and Elec Man attacked us, they didn't seem as amazingly aggressive as the other Mavericks we fought. Yet, they're obviously more advanced than any Robot Masters have been before. Maybe even to the point of sentience."

"Maybe Wily was just lazy and didn't bother infecting them?" Rock asked. "He built them, they have to follow his orders anyway..."

Blues looked troubled at this, and Rock understood why. If these new Robot Masters were alive, and not infected with the Maverick Virus, it would be difficult to destroy them when the time came...

"Uh, normally I wouldn't be the one to bring this up," said Bass, cutting into the conversation, "but maybe we need to get X back online."

Zero looked down at X, who was still limp and unmoving. "Right," he said. "Hey, buddy! Wake up!"

"Is pounding on his head really necessary?" Blues asked, as the blonde reploid rapped his knuckles against X's helmet, hard.

"Yes, it is," Zero replied, continuing to poke his friend.

X stirred, his eyes snapping open and hands shooting up to shove Zero away. "Ow! OW! Stop it! Jeez..."

"You okay?" Zero asked, giving the blue reploid a light shove so he stood upright again.

"Yeah... I'm fine," X said, rubbing the side of his helmet. "What happened? How'd I get knocked out?"

"Uh..." said Rock. X would probably be embarrassed to know he'd collapsed over something so pointless. "...Elec Man gave you a nasty blast of electric energy and shorted out your motivator for awhile."

"Hey, that's not—" Bass began.

Blues cut him off. "—But never mind that now! Let's get back to HQ."

"Right..." said X, but brought his hand up to his helmet,dialing HQ to call for the teleport room to bring them home.

-------

"Good work, men," Signas said, as the group reentered his office. He was beside the small viewscreen, with Alia working at the nearby computer. "You dealt with that Maverick in short order. Who was he?"

"His name is Elec Man, sir," said Rock.

"He was from the first batch of robot masters, as well," Blues said.

"He used to be a pretty nice guy, actually," Rock added, "before Wily got hold of him and reprogrammed him..."

There was a chiming sound from the computer, and Signas sighed.

"I'd like to chat more about him, but it seems that something else has come up," he said, walking towards Alia, who was now checking the new message.

"What now?" Zero asked.

"Another Maverick general has shown up in the vicinity of the city's main fire station," replied Alia, frowning at the computer.

"Which one?" Blues asked.

Alia typed something, and some images popped up on the viewscreen. They showed haggard firefighters aiming hoses at blazes set by a robot master wearing boxy yellow armor.

"...Heat Man?" Rock said.

"...Attacking a firehouse," said Bass, dryly. "Wow, he's absolutely brilliant."

"That makes very little sense..." said Rock, looking at the firefighters aiming jets of water at the flames.

"He is actually causing a great deal of damage," said Alia, still looking at the computer. "The firefighters are successfully beating back the fires he starts, but he continues to light new ones constantly, so they can't spare enough men to stop him."

"Still..."

"Never mind the logic behind Maverick attacks," said Zero. "Let's go help those poor guys before they collapse or waste the city water supply putting things out."

"Um, Signas..." said Rock, turning to the Maverick Hunter commander, "I was just wondering. Where exactly are the rest of your soldiers right now? Don't you have other units that could deal with lone Robot Masters like Heat Man?"

"We're in the middle of a war right now, Mega Man," Signas explained. "This isn't the only area of the world under attack. Other units are dispatched all over the globe to eliminate pockets of activity. If left unchecked, those areas will be as bad off as the area being assaulted by this Heat Man."

"...So basically you're short on numbers," said Blues.

X shrugged. "The life expectancy for new Hunters is about three years. Can you blame people for not wanting to join?"

"...Not really..." said Rock.

"I think Zero's pulling that average down, though," Alia quipped.

"You're cruel, Allie," said Zero, folding his arms and pretending to sulk. "I can't help it if I'm living-challenged."

"Just... try not to die any more, Zero," said X. "I don't want to have to put you back together ever again."

"Well, then _you_ try not to get yourself into situations where I have to sacrifice myself to rescue you!" Zero huffed.

"Zero, please," said Alia. "X is only looking out for your welfare..."

"Yeah, yeah..."

Signas cleared his throat. "Moving away from the subject of Zero's frequent... accidents..."

"It's not my fault! Jeez..."

"All of you, get the heck out of the command center and go retire that Maverick!" Signas said, pointing to the elevator.

"Retire?" Bass said, scoffing at the word. "What, you want us to stick him in a home! Just say "kill" or "destroy." Sheesh, we can handle it, we aren't four year olds..."

"Yeah, you're three," said Blues.

"...shut up, you old fogey," Bass snapped.

"Three?" Alia said, looking up. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll explain later," X sighed. "Right now we have to go."

She frowned at him, but nodded. "...All right, X. Good luck."

"Thanks. We'll be back soon, Alia." He smiled at her, and she returned it. Taking Zero's arm before he could come up with a parting comment, X led him from the room, the other three following behind.

* * *


	13. A Heated Encounter

* * *

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

_A Heated Encounter_

* * *

The sounds of sirens wailed in the air, smoke curled from the tops and windows of buildings, and the cries of people and Reploids echoed through the streets. What would normally been a peaceful afternoon had turned into a hellish nightmare of fire and smoke. Inhabitants of nearby buildings fled in fear of being trapped, as their businesses and homes were set ablaze by the wind carrying the flames. The origin of these flames was the fire station, wedged between two larger skyscrapers; and the blaze had started thanks to an oddly shaped Reploid rampaging in the street. 

Heat Man looked like he was having a bit too much fun, shooting off blast after blast at the haggard firefighters who were attempting to douse his handiwork with their hoses. Most of the emergency workers were reploids, fortunately, so no one had been hurt yet, but several fire trucks and a good portion of the firehouse was a smoldering wreck.

It was this scene that greeted the party as they arrived from hunter HQ's teleport room. Spotting the enemy, Bass wasted no time. "Hey, you!" he called, firing off a bolt of plasma. It struck Heat Man on his boxy armor and the robot master turned, eyes narrowed. Like the other robot masters they'd met so far, he looked more human-like than before, though his armor design had unfortunately not changed at all.

"He... looks like a cigarette lighter..." X said, raising an eyebrow.

"I do not!" Heat Man growled, glaring at the newcomers. "You want a taste of my Atomic Fire?"

"_Atomic_ fire?" Zero asked. "Using nuclear energy to burn things down doesn't sound extremely intelligent to me..."

"...It's just a name, girly bot," Heat Man snapped.

The look in Zero's eyes instantly showed what a dangerous mistake he had made. "What'd you call me!"

Heat Man folded his arms. "Exactly what I said. You're nothing but a long-haired hippie-chick bot who thinks he's so much better than everyone else."

The others backed away slightly as Zero's face turned as red as his armor. "You. Will. Die," he said through gritted teeth, igniting his beam saber.

"Ooh, look at me, I'm a big scary red Reploid with an energy sword!" the robot master replied mockingly. "I'm going to kick Heat Man's butt! I'm angry and angsty and I die all the time!"

Zero's eyes were now narrowed to calculated slits. X looked like he wanted to try and calm his friend, but he was afraid to get close. "...How does he even know about that?" he asked.

Heat Man glanced towards Zero, now looking slightly worried. "...Sigma told me the best way to win a fight against you guys was insult Zero..."

"Sigma must not like you much, huh?" X asked casually.

"I'm beginning to think not."

"What'd you do to him?" Bass asked.

"I set his cape on fire accidentally..."

Zero's voice was deadly calm. "I'm going to kill you first, and then rip off Sigma's head and beat him to death with it."

X sighed. "We know, Zero, we know."

"I _mean _it!" Zero shouted. "I'm gonna do it this time!"

"Enough talk," Bass said, arming his buster. "Let's get rid of this Zippo-wannabe and go home!"

"I'll burn you to ashes!"

"That was a lame comeback," Bass jeered.

Heat Man growled. "Shut up and fight!"

"With pleasure," Zero returned, and lunged.

The quick saber blow struck Heat Man across the chest. Though the armor held, the energy sword left a noticeable mark. The robot master leapt away; using the flamethrowers mounted on his wrists, he sent a blast of fire toward Zero, which the Hunter hastily avoided.

The surrounding street was exactly the kind of arena Heat Man excelled in. With very little cover, his flamethrowers could spread over most of the battlefield, making them difficult to avoid. The only visible obstructions were several automobiles parked along the side of the street. However, if they were hit with a powerful enough blast of fire they could explode, much like the wrecked fire trucks littering the front of the station.

Rock fired a charged shot, but Heat Man simply stepped out of the way and reactivated his flamethrower jets. The Robot Master sprayed a line of flames across the street. Bass activated his boot thrusters to fling himself over the inferno while X dashed away to the side. The bright fire dissipated quickly, too hot to continue burning for long.

Bass switched to rapid fire when he landed and launched a volley of plasma at Heat Man. The low powered shots glanced off the yellow armor and fizzled against the walls of the buildings. Heat Man completely ignored the black robot's attack and turned his flamethrowers on Zero, who had been had been using his dash thrusters to spiral behind and attack. The red Hunter dodged the cone of flames with inches to spare, but the fire temporarily cut off the direct route to his enemy.

Rock quickly realized that in order for Zero to get close, he would have to draw Heat Man's attention. He glanced over at Blues, who gave a swift nod. The brothers released their charged shots in tandem. Heat Man, still focused on Zero, was hit by both blasts. He staggered backwards and his flamethrowers shot up into the air as his arms flailed skyward. Fire rained down around him, missing his enemies but starting a few more fires in the buildings.

"Great… I think it's time to stop messing around," Bass muttered, halting his rapid fire attack. Zero closed in on Heat Man and swung his saber in a deadly arc, and Bass used the robot master's distraction to his advantage. His orange trim quickly shifted to a bright yellow. He pointed his buster at Heat Man, but waited for Zero to be forced away by Heat Man's flamethrowers before he pulled the trigger.

A bolt of lightning sprang from Bass's gun and rocketed toward Heat Man. The blast connected and sent dozens of tiny bolts of lightning dancing around the robot master's armor. He grimaced in pain and anger while the Thunder Beam coursed through his systems.

"Thunder Beam?" Rock demanded, darting away from a retaliatory flamethrower blast and moving to Bass's side. "When did you get that?"

"Don't you remember? When I grabbed Elec Man! That was half of the plan, rocks for brains," Bass replied, firing a plasma burst. The blast missed, and Heat Man looked relieved he was able to dive out of the way in time.

"And you didn't share?"

"Rocky, worry about that later," Blues cut into the conversation, while firing another charged blast at the attacking Robot Master. "Concentrate on the battle!"

Heat Man spun around and turned his flamethrowers on X, and then turned to the right to spray Bass as well. The black robot was unable to avoid the cone of fire in time, but instead turned his back to it. The fire scorched his armor and made his internal temperature rise alarmingly fast. Ignoring the warning messages sounding in his mind and moving quickly, Bass dashed and double jumped away, gaining as much lateral distance as he could from the flamethrowers. He escaped with only mild energy drain, and his armor was still holding, even if it was now searing to the touch.

X counterattacked with a charged shot. The blast rocked him back, but it didn't stop the Robot Master completely.

"All right, enough games." Heat Man folded his arms, and stood upright. "Get ready!" As soon as he finished the sentence, his body lit aflame completely. As a giant fireball, he launched himself toward Mega Man and Proto Man, striking Rock and sending him flying into a parked car. The vehicle crumbled beneath the impact, and jolts of pain shot through Rock's body as he landed. The front of his armor was burned, but he stood up a moment later.

Pain coursed through his back and in his legs, but he had experienced far worse injuries in combat before. Though the attack certainly hurt, his auto-repair was already working to fix the injuries. He watched as Heat Man bounced off one of the buildings and barreled towards Blues. The red robot was fast enough to leap over Heat Man, but it did nothing to stop him from bouncing off the wall of the burning firehouse and heading straight for X.

X fired his weapon at the fireball to try to stop it, but the plasma blast simply glanced off into the sky, unable to pierce the flame shield. X's eyes widened as Heat Man drew closer, and he winced, bracing for impact.

But the impact didn't come. Zero leapt in front of his friend, and with a vicious vertical swing of his Z-Saber, knocked Heat Man to the ground. The fire around him quickly dissipated, and when the robot master became visible again, there was a large, obvious gash on his armor. He rose shakily to his knees.

"Ugh... extinguished..." Heat Man said, kneeling on the pavement with smoke rising from all over his armor, sparks flying and coolant leaking from the fresh Z-Saber wound.

Zero stood over him with his saber pointing at his throat. The fight appeared to have calmed his temper, and he seemed almost cheerful. "Heh, how does it feel to be beaten up by a 'girly bot'?"

"Rather humiliating," Heat Man replied.

"Good."

"What is Wily doing, Heat Man?" Rock asked, stepping closer to the fallen robot master. Touching the side of the boxy armor, he allowed his systems to absorb the weapons data for Atomic Fire.

"You honestly expect me to tell you?" Heat Man snapped, trying to pull away from Rock. Zero moved his saber closer.

"I was hoping you would..."

Heat Man rolled his eyes. "...Man, you're dumb. Anyway... time to run!" He sent a blast of fire towards Zero and Rock, who were too close to dodge. In the instant they was distracted, Heat Man leapt to his feet and sped off with surprising agility to beyond the firehouse's teleport jamming field. "See you chumps later!" he called, and vanished.

"That little..." Zero seethed, while making sure his armor was all right. It was scorched, but intact. "Good thing my hair's fireproof..."

"That's the third of Sigma's goons we've seen..." X said, lowering his buster. "I wonder if that's the last of them."

"...No. There are always more," Blues replied.

"Eight, to be precise," Rock added.

X sighed. "That seems to be a general theme... Let me call Alia and see if there are any further developments."

"Nice excuse," Zero said, smirking.

"Shut up, Zero."

Blues chuckled softly. Bass gave him a sideways glance. "What're you laughing about?"

"Nothing," the older robot replied. "Don't worry about it, Bass."

Bass folded his arms. "I'm always out of the loop. Do you guys not trust me or something?"

"No, not really," Blues replied.

Bass opened his mouth, then closed it again, glaring at Blues. Rock was startled to see the black robot looked almost... hurt.

"Blues, that wasn't nice!" he cried. "Apologize to him!"

"I don't need an apology," Bass said curtly. "If Proto Man here wants to be more of a jerk than me, he's welcome to. He better not expect me to pull him out of a scrape later."

"Okay, children, break it up," X said, stepping between the two feuding robots.

"Don't take that tone with me, X," Bass seethed. "You're no better than I am."

"I didn't say I was," X replied patiently. "There's just no point in standing here and bickering when we're all on the same side!"

"Heh, typical X logic," said Zero, smiling slightly. "Though I do have to agree this time. Bass, Proto Man... quit your arguing. Bass, quit being a jerk to everyone, and Proto Man, stop being a smart aleck just to piss off Bass."

"...Fine," Blues said, rather unconvincingly. Bass just grunted.

"...Um... I got Atomic Fire..." Rock said tentatively.

"Whoop-de-freakin'-do," Bass replied.

"Bass..." X sighed.

"Okay," said Zero, taking Bass by one arm and Blues by the other, and beginning to walk back to the edge of the jamming field. "Everyone, back to base before we all bite each other's heads off."

"Don't you mean rip each other's heads off and beat each other to death with them?" Blues quipped.

"...March! On the double! _Now_!"

------

"Good work, all of you," Signas said, as the group arrived back. They had found the general and Alia in his office, discussing intelligence reports from units deployed in South America.

X saluted. "Any more signs of Maverick activity, sir?"

"None yet," Alia replied, closing her datapad. She looked up at the holographic window, which showed red dusk creeping over the city. "It's getting late, too. You guys should take it easy for a while."

"We can finish our Monopoly game!" Zero said happily.

X sighed. "Are you making them play _that_ thing? Axl only gave it to me as a joke!"

"But it's fun!"

"Of course you think it's fun, it involves you figuratively killing large numbers of Mavericks."

"C'mon, X," Zero said, taking the blue Hunter's arm and leading him from the room. "We're not too far in yet, you can join us."

"...and I'm assuming you're using the X token again?"

"Of course!" Zero replied, grinning. "It annoys you!"

"Sometimes I really wonder how your mind works, Zero," X said, as the group boarded the elevator. "Then I remember that it doesn't."

"...Hey!"

------

The small apartment was bathed in the glow of the sunset from the holographic window and the dull murmur of the television set. The monopoly game was spread out on the floor behind the couch, bank notes and property cards littering the carpet.

Rock and Blues knelt on opposite corners of the board, fighting over the ownership of a property. On his own side, X leaned against the back of the couch and flipped through the rulebook, though he knew official word would do nothing to solve the argument. Bass, who hadn't taken part in the game in the first place, sat on the couch trying his best to look disinterested. Zero was raiding the refrigerator.

"Ugh, X, don't you have anything besides this disgusting fruit stuff?" the blonde reploid asked, making a face and tossing a can over his shoulder.

X narrowly managed to catch the flying object before it slammed into the Monopoly board. "Hey! Don't do that! And it's not disgusting."

"It has no carbonation," Zero replied, sticking his head further into the appliance. "It's like colored water."

"You should actually try it sometime before you write it off," X said, rolling his eyes and opening the can.

Zero pulled his head out and closed the refrigerator door. "No thanks, I need something with more kick." He turned to look at Rock and Blues, who were still squabbling.

"I should get Boardwalk 'cause it's blue, like me!"

"'Maverick Hunter HQ', you mean. And X is blue too, you know."

"...I was blue first!"

"I'm gonna go find a vending machine," said Zero, heading for the door. "I'll be back in a bit."

"Suit yourself," said X, sighing. "I'll keep them under control."

Zero walked out of the room, leaving behind the sounds of the feuding siblings.

"Yeah, and I was red first. And you took those properties."

"...I turn red when I use robot master powers!"

Bass sighed, switched off the television, and threw down the remote. He rose from the couch and started for the door, stepping over Zero's mountain of bank notes.

"Where're you going?" X asked, as the black robot entered the corridor.

"Somewhere away from those idiots," he said. "Have fun."

The door slid shut before X could reply. Rock and Blues remained oblivious.

"You're not getting the card. Deal with it."

"You're just mean! How can you be so mean to your little brother?"

"...Hey, don't give me the sad eyes! That's cheating!"

X sighed, raising the rulebook to cover his face. It was going to be a long night...

---

Bass walked along the corridor with absolutely no idea where he was headed. It was probably not a smart idea to be wandering the halls of Maverick Hunter Headquarters, but at the moment, he didn't really care. Anything was better than staying with the Light-bots. Another few minutes and Bass might've done something drastic, like shoot something. Or someone. That would certainly shut them up...

Bass kicked the wall in frustration, then leaned his forehead against it, fighting down the wave of anger. _Mega Man is on my side_, he chanted to himself softly, as the emotion subsided. _Fighting him now would compromise my goals. I can't let that happen, no matter how much I hate him. No matter what your programming says, old man. I won't let you stop me from getting my revenge on you._

Bass was a violent person, he admitted that freely. He did not like Mega Man. He was determined to destroy him in combat. But some detached part of him knew that some, perhaps even most of that had been sparked or directly caused by his programming. And that programming was not happy with Bass's current situation. He'd been fighting his own mind ever since he'd left Wily's employ. Not the loyalty programming so much... Bass didn't think that Wily had done a great job installing that, as he'd never had an issue with disobeying the doctor. It was his own innate aggression that bothered him now. While he didn't care for Mega Man, he was dependent on the Lights for his survival. He couldn't allow his own head to ruin his chance for revenge on Wily.

That was proving to be difficult, however. Wily-bots were created to fight, to destroy Mega Man and the Light family. Having a truce and working alongside one went against everything in their nature. They were built to be perfect killers.

Bass froze. _Killers..._ he thought, a spark of memory leaping from a forgotten corner of his mind._ Blueprints for a perfect killer... a robot with long hair... "a girly bot"..._

The black robot's head snapped up, his eyes narrowing. Pushing away from the wall, he took off down the hallway.

It was time he had a chat with Zero.

------

Cut Man sat on a large crate, grumbling as he polished his scissors. Those idiots had put a scratch on them. They'd never be the same... Across the room. Heat Man stood sulkily, putting minor repairs on his armor.

"Jeez, you two look run down," Elec Man said, slipping into the room. He was still slightly ragged looking, but he'd repaired his injuries and patched his uniform. He vaulted onto Cut Man's pile of crates, settling down cross-legged beside the other Robot Master.

"That no-good lying bald bastard made me lose the fight," Heat Man growled, as he dusted the last traces of ash from his armor.

Elec formed a tiny ball of electricity and let it dance over his fingertips like a toy. "You bought that insulting Zero thing?"

"Obviously, intelligence isn't your strong suit," said Cut Man. He glanced at his reflection in his cut blades. Satisfied that they were mirror bright, he reattached them to his head.

"Says the one with scissors growing out of his skull," Heat Man muttered.

"Whoa, relax, both of you," said Elec, grabbing Cut's arm as he started to reach for his scissors to toss at his brother. "I'd rather not have to scrape either of you off a wall."

"The only thing that's going to be scraping is my scissors through his limbs," said Cut Man.

"That didn't even make sense..."

"Whatever," Cut Man grumbled, but dropped his hands. "Heat isn't worth the energy to fight, anyway."

"...Oh yeah! Well... you've got scissors on your head!" Heat retorted.

Elec smirked. "He does have you there, Cut."

Cut Man rolled his eyes. "Heat Man, for someone who managed to provoke Maverick Hunter Zero into a blind rage, I thought you'd be able to come up with better insults..."

"...You're still a scissor head." Heat Man glared at Cut, who matched his burning gaze.

"All right you two, cool it," said Elec Man, deciding it was time for an intervention again.

"Is that an insult!" Heat demanded. "It's not funny!"

"Whoa, whoa," Elec said, raising his hands, but allowing the tiny electric ball he'd been playing with to grow and crackle over his palms. "Don't let your _fiery_ personality get the better of you, or you'll be in for an unpleasant _jolt_ of reality."

"Your puns vex me," Cut grumbled.

"You're just jealous of my _razor-sharp_ wit, Cut," Elec replied, grinning.

"Don't push me, Elec. You know as well as I do I could whip you in a fight."

Elec Man shrugged. "Probably. But that's not what we should be worried about..."

His sentence was cut off as footsteps sounded in the corridor. Sigma entered the room, looking very grumpy.

"All right, listen up, you scrap heaps," he boomed, looking across the room to where Cut Man and Elec Man sat on the pile of crates. "You're all lucky I don't turn you into slag right now because of your failures."

"Sigma! Your 'advice' almost got me killed!" Heat Man accused.

"But unfortunately it didn't."

"...You'll regret that one day." Heat Man glowered at Sigma. "You'll see."

Sigma laughed, not a pleasant sound. "You are a funny little cigarette lighter, aren't you? A worm like you could never hope to beat me. Be thankful Dr. Wily has given me specific orders not to terminate any of you... yet."

Elec Man folded his arms, eyes narrowing behind his mask. "So why is the high-and-mighty Sigma deigning to visit us lowly inferior robots?"

"I'll ignore your forked vocal unit, spark plug," Sigma replied. "How could you idiots possibly lose to X and his ilk?"

"All of us were fought five on one," Cut Man reasoned. "I hardly think we had a tactical chance."

Elec gave the shadow of a smile. "And according to what I've heard, you don't find it too simple to beat X, either, even when he is by himself."

"Rest assured, little robots," Sigma growled, staring up at the robot masters perched on their boxes, "once your usefulness has ended, I will recycle each and every one of you myself. But enough of this foolishness! Dr. Wily, Vile, and myself are going to the future to gather weapons. You three are not to leave the Skull Fortress under any circumstances."

Elec frowned. "...You're just going to blindly hop into the future and hope things turn out all right?"

"These are Dr. Wily's instructions," Sigma intoned. "You are not to question them."

"Right, don't question the almighty Human Man." Heat Man said. "Yeah, good luck with that whole future thing."

Sigma glared at the boxy robot master. "I sense sarcasm, but I have no more time to waste with you inferior beings. Don't deactivate yourselves before we return." He turned on his heel and, cape billowing behind him, left the room.

"I hate him so much," Cut Man growled, as soon as the bald Maverick commander was out of earshot.

"Just ignore him," Heat Man said, shaking his head. "He can't do anything to us."

"I'm not so sure..." Cut replied softly.

Elec raised an eyebrow that was lost beneath his mask. "What do you mean?"

"Well..." The red and white robot master hesitated. "...It's something Bass said when we were fighting..."

"Bass?" Heat Man scoffed. "He's a traitor to Wily's cause. Why pay attention to anything he told you?"

"That's just it." Cut shook his head. "He said he's not a traitor — or wasn't. He said he only left because Wily tried to kill him."

Elec stared at his brother. "...What?" he said. Cut just nodded solemnly.

"Wily would do that?" Heat asked, looking bewildered. "If Bass was loyal... why would he..."

Cut shrugged miserably. "Would you really put it past him?"

"...No," said Elec, in a low tone. "I would not. I would not at all."

Heat Man looked at him questioningly. "Elec? What..."

The yellow robot master closed his eyes. "...That isn't right. For him to treat Bass like that. For him to..."

"But what are we supposed to do about it?" Cut asked, throwing up his arms in frustration. "Wily's our creator. We have to listen to him."

"...Actually..." said Elec, very softly. He looked around the room, then hopped off the crate and beckoned the other two to draw closer. They hesitated, but followed. "I've been thinking about something lately."

"What do you mean?" asked Heat Man.

Elec Man put one hand on each of their shoulders, and began speaking in a low tone. "The doctor's mistake was upgrading us with parts from the future... turning us into Reploids."

"...So?" Cut asked.

"So, reploids, dear brothers... aren't bound by the three laws."

"...What?"

Heat Man looked awed. "You really think...?"

"We could do it," Elec affirmed. "You can feel it as well as I can. Nothing is binding us..."

"But Elec, what you're suggesting..." Cut looked fearful. "It could get us all killed!"

"Do you really want to continue like this?" the yellow robot master asked. "Listening to whatever he and that bald maniac say, waiting to be thrown away when we're no longer useful?"

Cut looked at the floor. "...No."

"But what do we do?" Heat asked. "Just leave?"

Elec shook his head. "No. He'd just track us down and destroy us, like he would have done Bass. We've got to think this through, take it slow... and cover our tracks."

Cut nodded. "You're right."

"What about the others?" Heat asked, uncertainly. "Should we tell them?"

Elec paused. "...We'll see," he replied. "I hope they'll see things the same way we have, but..."

"We should tread carefully," Cut finished. "We can tell them when we feel it's safe."

Elec nodded. "It will be some time before Wily realizes the error he has made, and by then... hopefully, it will be far too late."

"Come on, you two," Cut said. He nudged his brothers toward the door. "Let's find someplace to start planning."

-------

Zero scowled at his opponent. He had tolerated this behavior for too long. Now was the time for action.

"Bloody thing," he muttered, kicking the soda machine. Its structure was used to the abuse of reploids, however, and his metal boot did not even make a dent. "Always eats my coins..."

He kicked it a few more times, and finally, with a reluctant pop, the can shot from the machine. Zero caught it. "There we go," he sighed, looking at the soda. It was too shaken to risk opening now. He gave the machine another malevolent glare.

"...Zero."

The crimson hunter turned at the sound of his name. Another person entered the break room, with familiar black armor and head fins.

"Hey, Bass," said Zero, smiling at him. "You decided to get out of there for a bit too, huh?"

"Yeah..."

The conversation died away. Finally, Zero walked to the couch and sat down. "Is there a reason you're here, or do you just enjoy awkward pauses?" he asked, opening the soda. It fizzed a bit but fortunately didn't explode.

"Uh... listen," Bass said. "Zero, I need to ask you something."

"Sure, what is it?" Zero asked. He pointed at the cushion beside him. "Come and sit." Bass did so, perching rigidly on the edge of the couch. Zero raised an eyebrow at the black robot's odd behavior. "What's the matter, kid?"

"Zero... who built you?"

Zero froze with the soda can halfway to his mouth. "...What kinda question is that?"

"One I'd like answered," said Bass.

Zero refused to meet his eyes. "I...don't know," he said.

"...You're lying."

Zero put the soda down on the table.

"You know who it was," Bass continued. "And you're afraid to say it."

Zero stared at his boots. "...How'd you know?" he whispered.

"...He showed me a few things, once," Bass replied. "Heat Man's comments made me remember what I said when I saw them."

"Huh?"

"...A girly bot, Zero."

Zero's head shot up. "Hey, I—"

"I don't mean it now, Zero," Bass assured him. "But you wanted to know."

Zero closed his eyes. "...Please don't tell him," he said at last, almost inaudibly.

"Who?" Bass asked.

"X."

"I won't," Bass affirmed. "But... why?"

The reploid's eyes were still closed. "If I was really... and I'm not saying I was..." He opened his eyes and stared blankly at a spot on the floor. "...Then probably the only reason..."

"...Zero...?"

Zero rested his elbows on his knees and dropped his head into his hands. "X is my best friend, damn it!" he said, his voice slightly muffled. "I couldn't bear it if he knew the only reason I was built was to... was to..."

"Destroy him?" Bass asked, with a small chuckle. Zero didn't answer. "X wouldn't care. I doubt his opinion of you would change. And it's not like you're going to go through with it."

The hunter was silent for a moment. "Yeah. I suppose you're right..." he eventually agreed.

"I am," said Bass. He tugged on Zero's ponytail, forcing the reploid to sit up. "Now quit feeling sorry for yourself. You're a lot stronger than that and you know it."

"...You're absolutely right," Zero said, sounding slightly more confident. "X already knows my creator didn't have noble intentions in mind... knowing exactly what those were won't change anything."

Bass smiled. "See? I can say some sensible things now and then." He stood up. "We'd better get back to the others, though. They need you to finish that Monopoly game."

Zero rose as well. "...Bass?"

"Huh?"

Zero hesitated momentarily, but pressed on. "Thank you... big brother."

Bass gave him an awkward smile. "...You're welcome, little brother." He turned away and started walking from the room. "Now... let's not speak of this again."

Zero picked up the soda and followed. "Agreed. It's too weird."

* * *


	14. Fire and Light

* * *

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

_Fire and Light_

* * *

Morning dawned, and the assorted robots past and future began another day of world saving. Since X didn't have room for three guests, Zero had taken Bass with him back to his own quarters ("He's better off separated from you two anyway," he'd claimed, and Bass had punched him in the arm) and Blues and Rock had taken the couch bed. Now the brothers crowded around X's tiny kitchen table as their youngest sibling busied himself with the griddle. 

"I almost feel sorry for Bass," X said, as he placed a steaming plate of waffles and eggs in front of Rock. "Zero's idea of a balanced breakfast is three different kinds of sugar and Mountain Dew."

"I'm sure they'll survive," Blues said, poking his eggs with his fork.

Rock was more adventurous, bringing a bite of waffle up to his mouth. His eyes lit up. "Wow, X, this is great!" he said enthusiastically. "I bet you could give Roll a run for her money!"

X rubbed the back of his neck, turning slightly pink. "I'm not _that_ good a cook."

"Well, as long as you're better than the two of us," said Blues, smirking.

X sat down and they all dug in to the breakfast, happy to replenish energy after yesterday's battles.

Rock was helping X load the dishwasher when the door slid open and Zero sauntered into the room. Bass followed him inside and the door slid shut.

"Morning, Light family," said the blonde, leaning his elbows on the counter that divided the kitchen from the hall. His hair was messier than normal, as though he hadn't bothered to comb it yet.

"Morning, Zero," said X, who was wiping out the frying pan. "Any news from the front?"

"Nothing yet, and I'm sure you'd have heard from Alia by now if there were," Zero replied. "Guess we have another day to lounge around."

"Wonderful," said Blues dryly, while putting away the syrup. "So, are you going to make us play Monopoly again?"

"Of course not."

"Thank goodness," said Rock.

Zero opened the hall closet and pulled out a game box. "We're playing Clue."

"...Joy," said Blues. "If Monopoly was turned into a game of mass murdering and destruction, I hate to see what they've done to Clue, where there's actually _supposed_ to be a death..."

"Stop being so negative, oh mysterious one." Zero walked into the living room with the game and began to spread out the board.

The others finished cleaning and settled around the coffee table. The game hadn't changed as drastically as Rock had feared, simply replacing the players with the names of Mavericks, the old mansion with Maverick Hunter HQ, and the dead Mr. Boddy with a dead Dr. Cain. Also, there were a few odd additions to the murder weaponry.

"Let's see," Bass said, as the game progressed, "I think it was Vile in the Control Center with the wrench."

"Why would Vile need a wrench?" Rock asked, rolling the die. "He's got like, a billion plasma cannons."

"It's a game, Mega Man."

"It's a game that makes no sense," Rock countered.

Blues looked through his cards. "Well, I say it was Dr. Doppler in the Lobby with the nuclear warhead."

Rock blinked. "Why would someone use a nuke in the lobby?"

The elder robot shrugged. "The same reason why Vile uses a wrench, apparently."

"If that were the case," said X, "it wouldn't only be Dr. Cain who was murdered, but the entire city and all the other players, as well."

Zero shook his head. "Not if it was a small, localized device..."

X rolled his eyes. "Zero, this is a stupid game and you know it."

The blonde picked up his token. "Well, you can say that to Sigma in the Cafeteria with piano wire."

X showed him the Sigma card. "Too bad, try again."

"Actually, I think I'm ready to guess," said Bass, looking at his checklist.

"Shoot," said Zero. "I still think it's piano wire, though."

Bass moved his pencil down the list. "Magma Dragoon... whoever the heck that is... in the maintenance bay, with the beam saber."

Blues retrieved the packet of correct cards and handed them to the ebony-armored robot. Bass opened it, then smirked. "Told you," he said, spreading out the three cards for everyone to see.

"It would be Dragoon, wouldn't it?" Zero said, scowling.

"Who's he?" Rock asked, as he gathered everyone's cards and began to shuffle.

X glanced at Zero, then shook his head. "Just a Maverick we fought once. Not a nice guy."

"So are we going to do something else, or what?" Bass griped. "This game is boring."

"Only because you won," said Rock.

"That's beside the point."

"I can tell you're going to be cranky all day if you're cooped up in here," said Blues.

"Who are you callin' cranky, old man?" Bass snapped.

"You," said Zero. He stood up, stretching as his gears creaked and realigned. "Well, why don't you and I go to the training room, then? I'm sure you could use some fighting pointers, Bass."

"Just what exactly are you implying, blondie?" Bass said, also jumping to his feet. "I could beat you in a firefight any day."

"No you couldn't."

"Yes I could."

"No you couldn't."

"Just get out of here," said X, pushing Zero gently towards the door. "You're bickering like human children."

"Fine, we will." Zero grabbed Bass' arm. "Come on, kid."

"Oh, it's on, future boy."

The door shut. X turned back to the others, with a slight smile. "They're certainly hitting it off well, aren't they?"

"Sadly enough, I think you're right..." said Blues. He then walked towards X's closet, looking through the board games stacked on the top shelf. "So, anyone up for seeing the mess they made of _Sorry_?"

------

Maverick Hunter Headquarters had twenty holographic training rooms of various sizes, from large ones that could accommodate an entire unit to small ones for single users. Zero led Bass down the corridor, past the bored attendant who was watching a football game on the security television, and into one of the medium-sized rooms. He stopped before a circular pedestal near the doorway and pressed one of the buttons on its surface. A ghostly display shimmered into view in front of the two robots, filled with lists of various simulations.

"So, what do you want to try?" Zero asked, as Bass stepped closer.

Bass looked at the list. "...That one," he said, poking his finger through one of the shimmering words.

Zero raised an eyebrow. "That's a vs. Sigma simulation."

"So?"

Zero shrugged. "It's your virtual funeral." He pressed a lever on the side of the pedestal, and a small device popped out of a compartment. "Put this over the end of your buster and stand over there." He pointed to the center of the room.

Bass did as instructed, and turned back to look at Zero. "What does this thing do?" he asked.

"It makes your buster fire holographic data, not real plasma," Zero replied. "Now look sharp!" He pressed the round, red button in the middle of the pedestal.

Walls, floors, and ceiling shimmered into being around him. The two were no longer standing in a barren holodeck, but a run-down laboratory. Zero's pedestal had turned into a more boxy-looking computer console. There was the sound of metal crunching debris. Bass turned, and found the immense form of Sigma looming over him. The phantom raised his beam saber.

A second later, there was a buzzer and Sigma vanished, replaced by red words, "_You have failed, try again?_"

"What?" Bass said. "What happened?"

"You died, Bass," Zero said, sounding amused.

Bass narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on his buster. "I just wasn't ready!" he cried. "Let me try that again."

"Fine," said Zero. "On three, then."

He counted down, then pressed the button again. Sigma reappeared, marching across the room. This time, Bass lasted five seconds before the red words arrived.

"You're doing better, I suppose," Zero said, laughing.

Bass gritted his teeth. "One more time!"

---

"You know, Bass, maybe you should try something easier to start," Zero said, leaning on the console and watching as Bass received saber strokes to each of his limbs in quick succession. "Like a mettool."

Bass turned and glared at him. "You know, maybe I should start with you. You apparently die pretty easily."

Zero mimed being struck in the chest. "That was a low blow."

"You deserve it," Bass grumbled.

"Hey, what'd I ever do to you?" the blonde said.

"Just shut up and start the damn simulation again!"

"I did, you died five times while standing here insulting me."

Bass growled and turned, only to have a simulated plasma blast hurtle into his face.

"Here, why don't we pick a different scenario and run it together?" Zero suggested, pushing a button on the console. The holographic scenery dissolved, leaving only the tile of the simulation chamber.

"...What did you have in mind?" Bass replied. "It better not be anything wussy."

"Of course not," said Zero, tossing back his hair. "Remember who you're talking to!"

"A know-it-all valley girl?"

"...I'll let that slide because you are obviously still reeling from losing to Sigma so many times."

"Watch, I bet you die first," said Bass.

"I bet I don't."

"I bet you do."

"...Let's not start this again, shall we?" Zero took one of the devices from the side of the pedestal and stuck it on the top of his saber.

He pressed another button and the scene shifted again, this time placing them in the midst of a collapsed, ruined building. Directly in front of them was a wall, and Maverick reploids and mechaniloids swarmed just beyond. Catching sight of Zero and Bass, they began to surge forward.

"Not bad," Bass admitted, immediately firing his buster and taking out one of the charging enemies.

"See? I am an expert at finding exciting things to do," Zero said, grinning and igniting his saber.

They passed the next few minutes in companionable carnage. Zero did not die right away, as Bass had claimed, and Bass fared much better than against Sigma. There was no end in sight for the digital Mavericks but neither robot appeared to care.

"You know, it's nice to have a sparring partner with enthusiasm," Zero said finally, as he swiped his saber through a drone. It melted into data bits which then cascaded to the floor and vanished.

"Don't you come here with X?" Bass asked, shooting down a flying Maverick.

"Sometimes," Zero said. "And with Axl too. But the kid's more of a sneak than an all-out brawler, and X... is X, you know."

Bass snorted. "Doesn't even like killing virtual things, huh? Guess it runs in the damn family. Blueberry-head is like that too... it's always 'we don't have to fight' this and 'everlasting peace' that... they're too frigging self-righteous."

Zero paused, and glanced over at him. "Bass," he said finally, his voice suddenly serious. "I think we need to have a talk about your attitude."

Bass looked at him oddly. "We're in the middle of battle here! What the hell are you talking about?"

"Exactly that!" said Zero. "You're obnoxious, rude, and talk back constantly!"

"That's just who I am," Bass replied. "If you have a problem with it, then don't bother talking to me!"

"Bass, why are you so defensive all the time?" Zero angled his saber so a plasma bolt bounced off the energy blade and slammed back into the mechaniloid that fired it. "No one here is trying to antagonize you. There's no need for the biting sarcasm."

"Well, aren't you the hypocrite, then?" Bass snapped. "You make smart remarks all the time!"

"When I say things like that, I don't mean them, Bass," Zero replied quietly. "You... I don't know."

"What do you want, then? For me and Mega Man to become best buddies and go on picnics and make daisy chains?"

"No, but it'd be nice if you stopped acting like you hate his guts!" Zero whirled and sliced an enemy sneaking up from behind. It dissolved into a shower of data. "We're on the same side!"

Bass didn't answer. Zero glanced over at him and saw he was leaning against the wall, gazing into space with a hardened expression, ignoring the enemies creeping closer.

"Bass?"

"I'm trying, Zero," he said quietly. "Believe me, I'm trying."

Zero stared at him. His eyes softened. "...I'm not asking you to change yourself, Bass. I'm just asking that you try letting the person you are be the person we all see."

Bass sighed. "You won't just take me at face value, huh."

"You just proved there's more to you than that."

Bass looked up at Zero. For a moment, their eyes locked.

Then he turned away again. "Well, whatever."

"...Yeah," said Zero, bringing up his saber. "...Watch your head, Bass!"

Bass ducked the plasma shot, and they threw themselves back into the fray.

------

"You wanted to see us, Signas?" X asked, as the group stepped from the elevator later that day. They headed across the room to where Signas stood at his usual position near the viewscreen, in front of Alia's chair.

"Yes, we have a lead to the attack on the power plant," Signas said, turning to them and folding his arms. "We've detected an unusual amount of power being routed to this location. Alia, if you would?"

The navigator typed something into her computer and a three dimensional holographic map appeared in the middle of the room. Signas approached it and the group gathered around him.

"Look there," he said, pointing to a dome-shaped structure, in what appeared to be the abandoned portion of the city.

"That's the old stadium, isn't it?" Zero asked, looking at the map.

"Yes," Signas replied. "We believe it is the location of one of another of Wily's so-called Robot Masters."

"What makes you think that?" Blues asked.

Signas nodded to Alia, and the map zoomed in on the stadium. "First of all, the fact that any power at all is entering the stadium is suspicious, but there is enough heading there to allow two stadiums of that size to function."

"That's weird," said Rock, frowning. "Do you think Wily has an outpost there?"

"It's not a question of thinking, Mega Man," Signas stated. "We know he's there, and we're quite sure a Robot Master is behind this. Most likely the electricity was routed from the power plant he attacked yesterday."

Zero raised an eyebrow, looking at his commanding officer. "You seem on edge. What's the matter, boss?"

"...We lost a scouting unit in that area today, Zero," Signas said, with a heavy sigh. "They've failed to report in since earlier this afternoon… and their tracer signals have been shut off."

Zero clenched his fist, and X's jaw tightened slightly. Rock frowned, looking at the general. "So this is a rescue mission?" he asked.

"No, this is a search and destroy mission," said Signas. Rock opened his mouth, but X placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head slightly, and the boy remained silent. "I want you to find and defeat the Robot Master that wiped out our recon team."

"Don't worry, we'll get 'em," Zero replied darkly. "No one messes with our fellow Hunters, right X?"

X nodded. "We'll take care of it, sir."

"I'm counting on you, then," Signas replied. "Come back in one piece. That means you, Zero."

"Yeah, yeah. Have a _little_ faith in me, sir," said Zero, rolling his eyes.

------

The abandoned stadium loomed over the crumbling parking lot and a few decrepit warehouses, scarred by plasma and bombs. The design reminded Rock of baseball stadiums in his time, though most of them paled in comparison with this huge building. It was old and worn from decades of use, an excellent location for a Robot Master to hide.

The robots and reploids armed their weapons as soon as the teleport ended, and carefully approached a side entrance. Zero pushed on the rusty metal door. It grated noisily against the concrete but opened, and the group filed inside. They found themselves in a dark, moist back corridor, light filtering eerily through cracks in the walls and ceiling. Rock adjusted his optical sensors to be more sensitive and followed Zero as he began padding down the corridor, deeper into the labyrinth of hallways.

"Damn, this place is gigantic," Bass griped, as they passed another empty side room. "How are we ever going to find the Robot Master? I mean, what if we're fighting someone tiny like Ice Man? We'll never find him!"

"I'd think that he would need a Robot Master with more power than Ice Man, if he's using this place to plan a major strike," Blues said, his scarf billowing in the light draft that seeped through the building. "My best guess would be someone like Napalm Man. And he's not very subtle at all. We shouldn't have a problem."

"I guess," Bass replied, his eyes darting back and forth searching the shadows for movement. "Hey, Zero? What kind of sports did they play in here anyway?"

"Pretty much everything," the blonde said, stepping over a fallen ceiling tile. "The fields are modular so they could be taken apart and reassembled."

"But why would they need it this big?"

"This city used to be larger," Zero replied. "Before the wars, it was a center of commerce. People flocked here from all over to watch the games. But that's all gone now, as you can tell. Too many died... the stadium had to close, and then the Mavericks took over the sector. At least, that's what I heard." He shrugged.

There was a clatter of metal on concrete that echoed down the hall. The robots immediately tensed and pointed their weapons towards the sound. With Zero still leading the way, they crept up the hallway, then darted around the corner, ready to fire.

The corridor was empty, save for an old wrench lying on the floor. It appeared to have fallen from a ledge protruding from the wall. Rock's eyes narrowed. "Wrenches don't just fall by themselves," he whispered to Blues, who gave a quick nod in reply.

The hallway had another bend immediately to the right, and again, they moved in group formation around the corner. This time though, Rock caught sight of something. Hovering quietly near the ceiling was one of Wily's old propeller fliers. It looked like the ones he had faced in the very first robot rebellion of his time. The tiny helicopter robot didn't last long once the rest of the team caught sight of it. It violently exploded as three plasma blasts hit it at roughly the same time. The explosion and the impact of plasma against the wall made a loud noise, and Rock winced, knowing anything nearby would have heard it and come running.

Nothing did. Rock found this strange, and by the tense but questioning looks on Zero and X's faces, they did as well. After a few moments of nothing happening, however, they loosened their stances slightly, and proceeded down the hallway.

Traveling through the dimly lit corridors, they eventually happened upon an area with several doors lining both sides of the hallway, though it did continue on. X motioned that they should check the rooms on each side. They searched the rooms carefully and quietly, Zero leading with X close behind. Most of the rooms were clear and empty, save for debris lying around. Just before they reached the last quartet of rooms, X tapped Zero on the shoulder.

"Hey, do you smell something odd?"

Zero nodded shortly. "Something is coming from one of these rooms… kinda reminds me of sulfur or something. I can't put my finger on it."

"Smells pretty bad," Bass added, shutting off his olfactory sensors. "Ah, better. What the heck is that, anyway?"

"I don't know. Let's just keep moving, shall we?" Zero motioned for them to follow. They checked two more rooms with no result, but as they went down the hallway toward the last two rooms, the stench suddenly multiplied in potency.

"Good lord, what is that?" X demanded quietly.

"Smells like somethin' died in here." Zero muttered, turning the corner into one of the rooms.

"Ugh, whatever it is, it's…" X was cut off as he slammed into Zero with a metallic clang. "Ow! Zero, why'd you stop?" X looked at him after wincing, then he noticed the red Hunter's hand pointing forward. X's green eyes rose to see what he was pointing at, and the sight nearly rebooted his systems.

Lying on the floor were the twisted remains of what had once been reploids, riddled with plasma blasts, blackened by flame. Red coolant fluid was smeared all over the floor, covering it like a butcher's carpet. X could see from a fair distance that the bodies had been punctured by something powerful, like crushing spikes. Whatever killed them set them on fire later; most of their synthflesh had been melted away leaving their damaged metal frames exposed. Their forms were contorted, as though they had died in extreme pain. The four bodies were carelessly tossed upon one another, so the contortions seemed even more severe. What little of their armor remained intact revealed signs of once being a Maverick Hunter unit.

"What… what happened here…?" X asked, stunned to his very core.

"What is it, X?" Rock asked, trying to get past him.

"Rock! Stay back." X pushed him backward quite heavily, barring the way with his body. The smaller blue robot stumbled back a few feet and a concerned expression of confusion crossed his face.

"It's the recon team, isn't it?" Blues asked, his voice taking an uncharacteristically dark tone. X merely responded with a nod.

"Heat Man…" Zero snarled.

Blues walked over to X and took a look over him. X watched his face curl in disgust as he stepped back quickly. "No. That's not something Heat Man could do. He's good at burning things, but as for everything else that happened to them? No. No way Heat Man could pull that off. Something else did this."

Bass pushed his way past X into the room. Immediately he turned around and his normal expression of annoyance quickly flamed to anger and shock.

"It's that bad?" Rock asked, innocently.

"Mega Man," Bass began, "normally I wouldn't ask you to trust me, but believe me that you do _not_ want to go in there."

"We need to move on," Zero said, moving back out of the room. His tone was the powerful and intimidating one he used for Mavericks. "There's nothing we can do for them. Let's just go find who or what that did this, make them pay, and get the hell out of here."

"Yeah, I agree," Bass replied, starting his trek down the hallway.

"Come on, Rocky," Blues said, patting his little brother on the back and ushering him forward. "Let's go."

X exchanged a glance at Zero, who returned it solemnly. The two Hunters gave one more look at the scene, and then pulled themselves away, following the others down the hall.

They walked wordlessly together through the twisting corridors for several more minutes. Rock watched as X continually stared off into space, and he noticed that Zero clutched his Z-Saber tighter than before. Their silent procession was eventually broken minutes later after they reached a junction.

"Where are we now?" Bass asked, looking around as they emerged into a new passage. Tattered posters lined the walls, illegible from wear and water damage.

"I think we're on the ground floor of the stadium," Zero answered. He pointed to a set of double steel doors. "Let's try this way." He pushed them open, and the group stepped into what was left of a locker room. Most of the lockers had been removed. Leaking pipes lined the ceiling and the walls, and the room smelled of mildew and stagnant water. They carefully passed through, their boots splashing through the puddles.

They proceeded into another hallway, wider than before. There were no side corridors, only a large set of double doors awaiting them at the end. Zero looked back at X and the blue Hunter gave a short nod, raising his buster. The red reploid nodded back and kicked open the door.

On the other side was the stadium field, laid out in a football field format. Towering on the center line, however, was a white dome, clearly not part of the original stadium. It stood several meters tall.

"What the heck is that?" Bass asked.

"Not sure," X replied. "But it's definitely not normal."

"Let's go have a look?" Rock asked, glancing up at X. He returned with another nod, and they moved out onto the field slowly, watching carefully for movement.

When they were about halfway to the dome, there was a sudden whistling sound past Rock's ear. He spun around, spotting a scorch mark in the grass a few feet away. He looked up. In the seating bowl surrounding the field stood a Sniper Joe, its arm cannon trained on the little blue robot. Rock immediately returned fire, but it raised its shield and deflected the bolt.

"Sniper Joe!" Rock said sharply, alerting the rest of the team. X began charging his buster and Bass took aim at the single robot in the stands, but before he could fire, a thunderous sound, almost like a crashing wave, came from around them.

Rock looked up in horror to see the lower levels of the seating bowl begin to flood with Sniper Joes, a sea of green preparing to jump down to the field and advance on them.

"Damn!" Bass exclaimed. "It's a trap!" He fired at one of the many Joes, taking it down only to have another climb over the body and take its place. "There are dozens of them! What do we do?"

"Stay calm, for one," Blues replied, his eyes invisibly rolling over the approaching Joes, searching for any sign of weakness.

"Hey, X… are you thinking what I am?" Zero said, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"What are you thinking, Zero?" Rock asked, before X could answer.

"Well, you just leave those guys to me, okay?" He nodded toward the left half of the Joe army that had made its way onto the field. "You take care of those over there."

"But Zero… there's so many of them! Are you going to be okay?" Rock asked, sounding doubtful.

"These guys are chumps. I've dealt with tougher Mavericks in my sleep." Zero waved off Rock's concern with his smile. He looked back at his best friend. "Hey X, I bet I can wipe out my half before you four can take care of yours."

"This is no time for betting, Zero," X scolded, watching the final few Joes jump down to the field. There were at least two hundred total, circling in to trap them.

"Too bad! It's on!" Zero shouted. He activated his jump thrusters and leapt high into the air. He landed right in the middle of the Joe crowd, whose programming could not react in time to the swift onslaught. With a quick flick of his wrist, he activated his Z-Saber and cut through the four robots in front of him, slicing metal shields and circuitry.

"Get down!" Blues shouted, pulling Rock to the ground as plasma blasts began to fly over their heads. He returned a shot that exploded one of the Joes, and two more were knocked to the ground from its explosion. Mega Man and Bass quickly picked those two off, as well. Then a charged blast from the X-Buster zipped towards the enemy ranks. The robots failed raise their shields in time, and the powerful shot sliced saw-like through their lines.

Return fire came quickly. Many of the shots missed, but a few connected with X, Zero, and Bass. For the most part, the plasma left only dings in the armor of the two Hunters, and Bass simply shrugged off the damage he had taken. Zero continued slicing through his side of the field. The shields of the Sniper Joes were meant to deflect and absorb shots from plasma busters, not to take the swing of a beam saber. The Z-Saber swept aside the normally invulnerable shields with little trouble. He cut swaths through the crowd, the Sniper Joes firing hurriedly at him in an attempt to resist. However, as many of the shots hit their comrades as did hit the Hunter, so the red Reploid was hardly deterred from his rampage.

Meanwhile, Mega Man and Proto Man rose from their prone positions and began dashing back and forth, evading return fire from the Sniper Joes as best as possible. They shot back whenever they had charged their weapons fully, and they began to thin the numbers of the enemy robots, but the battle was still far from over.

Rock winced as one of the enemy's blasts caught him in the arm. It was nothing he hadn't experienced before, but no matter how many times it happened, getting shot still hurt. He quickly returned his own plasma blast at the robot. It exploded violently on impact, and Rock felt a twinge of guilt well up within him. He pushed it aside for now; it was more important that everyone was safe.

He watched as Bass was rocked by another plasma blast. The Wily-bot's eyebrows arched and he gritted his teeth. He swung his Bass Buster around and switched it to automatic, spraying a line of fire back and forth across the enemy lines. Most of the shots were reflected by the Joes' shields, but several slipped through and wiped out several more enemies. The numbers were quickly thinning, but about half remained.

X continued shooting despite being struck several times by enemy fire. There were a number of scorched marks on his armor, but nothing looked like it had broken through. Along with Bass's heavy fire support, X managed to put several more Joes out of commission with his fully charged weapon.

Blues and Rock's sporadic shots also had some effect, but by moving around so much, they drew the Joes' attention, leaving the others free to take them down. Rock was about to unleash another charged blast at one of the dozen or so remaining units when he heard a cheerful, almost sing-song call from behind him.

"All done! Man, you guys are slow!" Zero laughed, dashing recklessly toward the last remaining group of Sniper Joes. They caught sight of him as he approached and prepared to fire, but he reached them in a blur of red and gold. With a powerful swing of his arm, he dispatched them, leaving the group alone in a field of mechaniloid parts.

"Heh, they call that a trap?" Zero said confidently, deactivating his Z-Saber. "Too easy. Piece of cake." He put his hands on his hips and smiled broadly.

"If it was so easy, Zero, why do you have all those blaster burns?" X pointed out, indicated the charred areas on his armor and helmet.

"A true Hunter wears a battle scar like a medal," Zero smirked. "Not to say I couldn't win unhurt, of course."

"You sound like some kind of bad B-movie hero," X replied, rubbing his temples.

Rock rolled his eyes and chuckled a little, and the looked over to his older brother, who was walking back towards them slowly. "Blues, are you all right?"

"I'm fine, Rocky," he said. There were several plasma burns on his shield, but few on his body. He was breathing heavily, though, and this gave Rock a little concern.

"Are you sure? You look tired."

"No problem," he replied nonchalantly. "I've just never really been in a fight like that one before."

"Oh yeah... usually it's been one on one for you, hasn't it?"

Blues gave a nod in reply, and put his shield on his back. He straightened and regained his normal composure quickly. "Now, let's go have a look at that dome, bro."

"What do you think is in that thing?" Rock asked.

"Only one way to find out," Bass muttered, pointing his weapon at the dome. He prepared to fire, but a loud crunch sounded from somewhere below the field, making Bass jump and not pull the trigger.

"I don't like this…" X muttered. The group formed back into a line, but kept a good distance as the dome began to slide open from the top down. Rock kept his weapon at the ready, and Zero re-ignited his beam saber.

Suddenly, two large, green wings shot violently out of the top of the dome, spreading open. An ear-piercing screech followed, and the dome crumbled away as the mechaniloid inside broke free. It quickly rocketed into the air, spread its wings once more and gave yet another call.

"Oh no. Not him! Not again!" Rock exclaimed. The machine that now hovered above the field was almost identical to the massive green dragon robot he had fought during the second uprising. This time, however, it looked far more fierce and angry, and it became apparent quickly that Wily had used 21XX technology to upgrade it. It no longer resembled a goofy oversized toy created by a madman; it now looked like a formidable weapon of war.

Its eyes were red, and the once flat green finish Wily had given the body was now a dark emerald. The body, instead of being one solid piece, now looked like it actually had metallic scales. The wingspan of the dragon was considerably larger than before, and on each wing there were terrible looking spiked talons. Its feet were the same, sporting powerful claws that looked like they could pierce right through the armor on a tank. Smoke curled from its nostrils as it let out a jet of flame into the sky. However, for all of its new terror-inspiring features, it still flew and appeared to act very much like the old dragon Rock had encountered long before. It was definitely built on the same frame as the original, that much Rock could tell.

"What the hell is that thing?" Zero demanded.

"I have bad memories of this one…" Rock said, looking up at it.

"Is that what killed those Hunters?" Bass asked, for once sounding subdued.

"Fire... teeth marks... I'd say so," Blues replied quietly.

"Oooh, where are my Quick Boomerangs when I need them?" Rock shuddered, charging his weapon.

X frowned. "Stay cool, Rock. We'll be fine."

"Yeah, 'stay cool.' Brilliant, X," Bass returned. "Did you even see that thing? It breathes _fire._ Let's just take him down now!" He fired his buster, and the plasma bolts ricocheted off the scaly armor of the machine. Bass's eyes reflected quick frustration as he began charging his weapon.

The beast ignored the shots and glared down at the row of heroes. It opened its mouth wide, and a blast of fire spewed forth. The group barely managed to escape the searing flames, the artificial turf where they had been standing moments before melting into a slippery, charred, greenish mass. The creature did not hesitate between attacks, immediately shooting another blast of fire at Bass, forcing the ebony robot to dash away. He didn't escape the flames completely, though; parts of his armor caught fire for a brief moment, but extinguished themselves when he slipped out of the inferno.

X and Proto Man returned charged blasts at the Mech Dragon, both striking it at the neck joint. The Dragon was barely even fazed by the attack though; it quickly shifted its attention from Bass to the two brothers. It launched another blast of fire, sweeping across the field, and the aged artificial turf at the border of the flame trail burst alight. The fire quickly began to spread, separating the team and forcing them to scramble for the seating bowl. They climbed up into different parts of the arena. The robotic dragon swiveled around, its red eyes quickly targeting Mega Man.

Rock slid out of the way just before the plastic seats around him were melted into twisted sludge by the dragon's breath. The blue robot's mind raced. He didn't have any Quick Boomerangs, so how was he supposed to bring this monster down? Continuing to race down the row ahead of the jet of flame, Rock suddenly tripped on a cracked piece of cement. He toppled into the stairway between the seats and rolled down several steps, but not before the flame had swept over his side. Biting back a cry of pain and cradling the burn, he staggered to his feet and ducked into the cover of one of the seating entrances.

The mechaniloid changed direction again, this time spewing fire at Blues. The red robot ducked and managed to escape, his scarf narrowly avoiding being set ablaze. He rolled back to his feet and snatched the end of the yellow object, checking that it was still in one piece, then scowled up at the dragon. He charged and returned a plasma blast right into its face, causing the head to snap back as though it had been punched. Rock watched as it flitted its wings violently to try to keep its balance in the air. Then an idea struck him.

He closed his eyes and activated his weapon copying systems. His armor quickly shifted to a dull gray, and he stood back up, ignoring the pain in his side. He wasn't sure if the Rolling Cutter would have the range he would need, but it was worth a try. While the monstrosity was distracted by the others, he fired three Rolling Cutters at the wings of the dragon.

Two of them missed and returned, but one of the metal scissors hit home and tore through the poorly armored wings. Typical Wily; there was always one design flaw to be exploited in everything he built.

"Go for the wings!" Rock shouted, firing more Rolling Cutters at the machine.

The dragon continued spraying fire indiscriminately, melting seats and causing much of the seating bowl to catch on fire as well. Soon the entire stadium reeked of melted plastic.

The battle kept up for several more minutes, with the dragon constantly changing targets and breathing fire across the building. Rock was amazed that the entire stadium hadn't burned down yet. X, Bass, and Blues all aimed their shots for the wings, each blast dinging against them, each knocking the dragon's flight balance off kilter. Rock looked around for Zero, but he couldn't see him anywhere in the firestorm. Figuring the fastest way to solve the problem would be to clip its wings, he kept firing Rolling Cutters at the struggling monster.

Then X drew the dragon's attention with a particularly painful looking blast from his X-Buster. It shrieked and launched a massive wave of fire at the blue Hunter, who couldn't dash away in time. It burned his armor and pain tore at the synthskin on his face. X threw himself to the ground and curled up, covering his head, but the jet of constant flame suddenly ceased.

The dragon had been knocked off balance again by a well placed Rolling Cutter from Rock, who effortlessly caught the scissors on their return. The little blue robot was about to make a smart remark when another voice cut him off.

"Yee-ha!" the voice shouted gleefully. Rock looked up to see Zero leap from the top floor of the seating bowl toward the dragon. The blue robot watched as the red Hunter activated the thrusters in mid-jump and catapulted himself onto the mechaniloid's neck. With a quick flick of his wrist, Zero cut off its left wing, and the creature began spiraling toward the ground. Before it hit, he snapped off the other, then leapt back toward the seating bowl again, landing safely in one of the few spots not on fire.

The dragon crashed violently onto the field, sending flames dancing toward the sky. The other robots pelted its damaged frame with plasma blasts as it lay helplessly on the ground. The final shot came from Rock, hitting the dragon right between the eyes. The creature groaned and crumpled, the light in its red eyes dimming and vanishing.

"How was that for a classy finish?" Zero called across the stadium, giving a thumbs up to X. He vaulted over a railing and dashed towards his friend, helping him to stand.

"I'd tell you if every pain sensor in my face wasn't shrieking right now," X muttered in reply.

"That was pretty good," Bass replied, walking towards them with a curt chuckle. "Though, plunging the saber between his eyes would've been cooler."

Blues approached as well, gently helping Rock navigate the ruined rows of seats. "Come on, guys. Let's just get out of here before the rest of the stadium catches fire. I'd rather not be here when that happens. We can discuss theatrics later."

------

The five columns of light reappeared in the teleporter room. Rock watched as Scotty turned back around to look at them, having returned from what was supposed to be a rather simple mission.

"Wow, what the heck happened to you guys, anyway?" Scotty asked, his accent cutting thick into his speech. "You look like you've gone through ten freakin' rounds with Sigma himself! Are you all okay?"

"Just fine," Zero said with a smile.

"Uh, you don't look 'just fine' given all those plasma burns. You chumps get down to the med-lab before I call to have you dragged out of here by your freakin' ankles."

"It's awfully nice of you to care, Scotty," Rock said, smiling.

"Hey, I do. Plus, Alia would murder me if she knew X was lookin' that bad and I didn't force you down there. Have you seen her angry? She makes half the Mavericks we deal with look like human babies! Jeez…"

"All right, we'll go, we'll go," Zero said, trying to get Scotty to stop his tirade.

"Then get movin'! I've got a lot of work to do! Go on, get outta here!" He ushered the five of them out of the room quickly, and shut the door behind them.

"Guess he's on a roll with that pinball," Zero said, rolling his eyes and heading for the elevator. "C'mon, let's go see the execution squad."

"For the last time, Zero," X sighed, holding the burn on the side of his head, "Lifesaver and the medics are not trying to kill you."

"Then they're darn good actors!" Zero replied. He stalked through the elevator doors, his ponytail swishing behind.

------

"I hate infirmaries," Zero grumbled, swinging his legs idly over the side of the examination table. "Everything's dull and lifeless in here. Makes me feel too mechanical." He looked around at the pure white walls, broken only by several doorways, white cabinets, and the two paper-covered tables.

"Hold still," Lifesaver commanded, tugging on the bandage around Zero's left arm. The blonde yelped and gave the white-armored chief medical reploid a glare that went completely unnoticed. "You need to keep this on for two hours, until the sealant sets," the doctor continued, moving to put away the repair kit.

"Yeah, yeah, I know the drill," Zero muttered, hopping off the table. "I've certainly been in here enough..."

X lay on the room's other table, looking exhausted and grumpy. His black hair hung limply over the gauze wrapped around his forehead. Like Zero, he wore shorts and a T-shirt as he had teleported his armor away to be cleaned and repaired.

Zero walked over to him, folding his arms. "Scotty was right, Alia wouldn't be pleased if she saw you like that."

"Shut up, Zero," X replied tonelessly, too tired to put any venom in the statement.

"Both of you," Lifesaver intoned, "need a night in the recharge capsule. Especially you, X. I specifically told you to use it last night, but your power levels indicate you once again ignored my advice."

"I hate that thing," X grumbled. "It's like dying and then being rudely brought back to life."

Zero laughed. "Trust me, X, it's nothing close to that."

Lifesaver frowned at the blue Hunter. "Either use the capsule in your room, X," he said, as he put away the datapad he had been using to monitor the two reploids, "or I will tell Alia you have not been taking care of yourself, and she will drag you down here and force you to use ours."

"Why does everyone threaten me with Alia?" X groaned, sitting up.

"Cause you're whipped, that's why," Zero said, taking X's hand with his uninjured arm and helping him to stand. "Now come on, let's check on the kids."

"Kids? Zero, they're older than you."

"Technicalities." Zero pulled him towards the doorway that connected with another examining room. Several of the other medical technicians were in there, helping to fix up the three past robots. As Zero opened the door, voices began to filter into the room.

"Sir, please, we're only trying to help—"

"I told you, don't get any closer!"

"Blues, just put down the wrench..."

"You show 'em, scarf boy."

"Bass, you're not helping at all!"

"Ask me if I care, blueberry head."

"Fine... do you care?"

"That was rhetorical, you moron."

"Sir, put down the—"

"I'm warning all of you! I have a five month old magazine and I'm not afraid to use it!"

X looked at Zero. "I think it was a bad idea to leave them alone..."

Zero pushed through the doorway, X and Lifesaver following. They encountered a very unusual scene. Blues, armed with several random objects he appeared to have snatched from the countertops, was single-handedly fending off an army of three medical technicians. Bass leaned nonchalantly against a nearby wall, shouting encouragement, while Rock stood wringing his hands. The boy looked very relieved to see X and Zero.

"What is going on?" X asked, watching the technicians retreat again under the assault of Blues' magazine.

"Blues is being paranoid and won't let the nurses help him," Rock explained.

"I'm not paranoid!"

"You're holding them at bay with a rolled up magazine! How is that _not_ paranoid?"

"It's called survival!"

"Survival is a beat up edition of National Geographic?" Zero wondered.

"Blues, they're not even human," Rock sighed. "What is your problem? And why do we have to go through this every time you need repairs?"

"He does this often?" X asked. "He didn't make a fuss when he got that buster upgrade."

"That was going to let him blow up stuff more easily," Rock said. "And he knew we were on a schedule. He does this when he feels like being difficult. You should see him when Father wants to give him a shot."

"I can take care of myself, dammit!"

"Sir, please!" one of the nurses pleaded. "You're giving off some very odd readings, we need to examine you!"

"Of course he is, it's called 'being old,' " Bass quipped.

"I'm with Rock, Bass..." Blues said. "You're not helping at all."

"I am helping!" Bass picked up a clipboard from the counter and tossed it at a mechanic.

Rock snatched it from the air before it landed. "Bass! Stop that!"

"Make up your mind!" he grumbled. "You just said I wasn't helping, and here I was trying to..."

"That's enough!" said Lifesaver, stepping into the fray. He took the clipboard from Rock and pushed the nurses aside to stare down Blues. "This is an infirmary, not a zoo, as much as Zero would like to think otherwise! What is the problem here?"

"Lifesaver, there's a perfectly rational explanation for all of this," X said.

Zero glanced over at Blues. "Well, maybe not rational, but an explanation, at least."

"And what," Lifesaver began, "might that be?"

"Well..."

X looked at Zero, who looked back at X, who looked at Rock, who looked at Blues, who looked at Bass, who said, "Why the heck are you looking at _me_?"

They were all saved by the door opening. Signas stepped into the room and halted when he saw three bewildered nurses huddling against a wall, Zero and X sporting various bandages, and Lifesaver and Blues having a staring contest behind a magazine sword and a clipboard shield.

"So, was this Zero's doing?" the general asked.

"Why does everyone always assume that I did it?" the blonde said indignantly.

"Because you always do," X answered.

"Seventy-five times is not always, X."

Lifesaver turned, looking rather relieved to see the commanding officer. "Signas, could you please tell this rowdy recruit to settle down?"

Blues stared at him as though he'd grown three extra heads and called himself 'Wily Jr.' "...I'm not a recruit! Nor am I rowdy! I'm simply objecting to those bloodsuckers you call nurses prying me apart!"

"Blues, they just wanted to fix your arm and scan you," Rock reasoned. "Aren't you overreacting?"

"Hell no!"

"What is your problem, old man?" Bass asked, raising an eyebrow. "I mean, I get it if you don't want people poking around in your programming, but you're getting a bit extreme."

"I can take care of myself," Blues said firmly.

"...Just drop it and leave him be," Rock said, sighing. "There's no reasoning with him when he gets like this."

"Why did you come to the infirmary if you did not wish to be treated, then?" Lifesaver asked.

"I was giving my little siblings moral support," Blues replied. "Then your nurses jumped me." He folded his arms. "If you want to bother somebody, go fix them up."

"Hold on," Signas interrupted, looking at the cowering nurses. "You are dismissed. I wish to speak with these three, X, Zero, and Lifesaver alone. We'll call for you if we need you."

The three looked uncertain at leaving Lifesaver and their commanding officers alone with the crazed magazine bandit, but eventually saluted and left.

"...Would you care to explain what is going on, then?" Lifesaver asked, as soon as the technicians had closed the door.

"Well, it's a bit of a long story," Signas began, "but there's something you probably ought to know about these three if you're going to be working on them—"

"Hold on," said Lifesaver distractedly, moving to Rock. He lifted the boy's arm, revealing a burn mark in his bodysuit, coolant slowly leaking from the charred synthflesh beneath. "You have just been sitting here with that? Why didn't you say anything?"

"I did, but everyone was too busy with Blues," Rock began, but Lifesaver was already bustling about with first-aid kits and monitoring equipment.

"I'll have to talk to the nurses about priorities later," he said, applying pressure to the wound to slow the coolant leakage. "Let's get you fixed up first."

"Lifesaver," said Signas, "You really ought to know—"

But the medical reploid was not listening, beginning to scan Rock to search for hidden structural damage.

"Lifesaver, this is important."

"What could be more important than the patient's safety, Signas?"

"I'm really fine," Rock said. "I've had a lot worse."

"Regardless, I have to fix this. It's my job, after all." Lifesaver paused, and frowned, looking at the scanner readout. "Hm, I've never seen this alloy used in reploid construction before..."

"There's a reason for that, Lifesaver," said Signas.

Lifesaver still wasn't listening. "It's really quite curious, this metal usually is only used in mechaniloids... reploids require lighter-weight materials."

"Is that a problem?" Rock asked.

"No, but it's certainly strange," the doctor replied. "I wonder what possessed your creator to design you this way... it shouldn't be a matter of cost-effectiveness, because normal alloys are just as cheap and durable. If I didn't know better, I'd say you're some sort of prototype model, but that's completely impossi—" He suddenly froze completely, staring at the screen.

"What is it, Lifesaver?" Rock asked, concerned.

"I take it he's found your manufacturing label," Blues said quietly.

"...That might do it," said Rock, with a sheepish smile.

"What..." The stoic medical reploid at last seemed at a loss for words. His eyes moved from the screen, which had just registered the Lighttech logo on Rock's skeletal frame, and rested on the boy's face. "Who exactly are you?"

"If you had let me speak, I would have told you," Signas sighed. "This is Rock Light, also known as Mega Man... X's older brother."

"Older... brother?" The doctor looked bewildered. "How?"

"If you would give me a moment now, I'll explain," said Signas.

The general kept the explanation as brief as possible, but Lifesaver was still looking rather shocked at the end of it. To his credit, however, he regained his composure quickly.

"Well," he said briskly, "time travel or no time travel, you still have a rather severe burn here, Mr. Light."

Rock smiled sheepishly again. "Like I said... I've had worse."

"Nonsense, let me tend to this," said Lifesaver, pulling out sealant and bandages from his medical kit. "Now hold still, this will probably sting..."

---

An hour or so later, Signas had left and everyone had been patched up as best as possible. Rock sat in a new T-shirt and shorts, his side bandaged neatly beneath the cotton fabric. Bass was similarly repaired, and Lifesaver had handed Blues a repair kit and told him to take care of himself. All three robots' armor had been sent away to be cleaned and repaired, and the group was getting ready to head back to X's apartment to rest.

"X... can I talk to you for a minute?" Rock asked quietly, as the group began to file out of the room. "...Alone?"

"Sure, Rock," said X. He looked at Zero, who had paused by the door. "You take the others on ahead, okay? We'll catch up."

Zero nodded. "Right. See you later, X."

"Well... should we take a walk, then?" X asked, as soon as the others had left.

"That's fine," said Rock. He followed his brother out the door.

The two walked down the corridor from the infirmary, Rock trying not to jostle his side. In their matching colored shirts the boy really did look like a miniature version of X.

"X," he said at last, as they passed a window looking out on the front lawn, "when we found the bodies of those Hunters today... why did you push me away?"

X looked at him, surprised at the question. "Because you didn't need to see that."

"But everyone else saw," Rock pointed out.

"Rock, it really wasn't anything you would want to see." He closed his eyes. "Those people died in the most horrific way..."

"And because I'm a kid, you thought I couldn't handle it."

X turned, raising an eyebrow. "What?"

"You think I'm just a kid, X," Rock accused. "That I can't handle myself."

"Rock, you _are_ a kid," X said gently.

The boy's eyes narrowed. "I've been activated nearly as long as Zero has!" he said. "If I looked like you do, would you treat me the same way?"

"...Probably not," X admitted. "But Rock, it's not about the way you look. You still act like a child, too."

"What do you mean?" he demanded. "I hold my own in fights, same as you!"

"It's not about fighting either," X said. "I know you can fight. You're as good as I am, if not better. But you're also my brother, and I care about you, Rock. I don't want to see you hurt, mentally or physically."

"You let Blues see..." Rock said, frowning.

"Blues is a different person."

"But..." Rock sighed, and shook his head. "X, I'm supposed to be the older brother. I'm supposed to be the one that shields you from things, not the other way around."

X paused, and knelt so he could look Rock more directly in the eye. "Listen, Rock, don't worry about that. You've been given a gift." He reached out and brushed the bangs from his brother's forehead. "Though you might not think of it that way. You have a childhood. That's something very few robots ever experience. I never did."

Rock frowned again. "I wouldn't really call it that. I mean, I've been fighting Wily most of my life."

"But you still have been spared the true horrors of war," X said softly. "I want it to remain that way as long as possible. I'm just looking out for you."

Rock looked at the floor. "...Okay," he said finally. He opened his mouth as if to say something more, but then cut himself off and simply continued staring at his boots.

X smiled, and stood up, ruffling Rock's hair and then offering him his hand. "Let's get back home then, shall we? The others are waiting."

Rock nodded and took the hand, following his brother towards the elevator. He leaned against X's shoulder as they walked, but was silent all the way back to the apartment.

------

The others were waiting in X's living room when they walked through the door. X sank into the couch next to Zero, and Rock curled up beside him, still quiet. X put his arm around him. Bass sat cross-legged on the floor and Blues hovered near the bookshelf, scanning the titles.

"So what are we going to do next?" Rock asked softly, after a few silent minutes passed.

No one answered immediately. Finally, X shook his head. "I don't know."

"The coliseum was obviously a trap," Zero said darkly. "They know we're after them."

"Yeah, but it was a pretty bad one, wasn't it?" Bass said derisively.

"I don't know..." said Rock. "If it had been just me alone... I think it would have worked."

"But you weren't alone," said Blues. "Wily still has the mindset that he is dealing with a single opponent."

X shook his head. "We can't count on him underestimating us forever."

"...You know what would make me feel really good right now?" Bass said.

"What?" Rock asked.

"Blowin' up Wily's fortress."

Blues looked at him. "That's something you don't hear every day..."

Bass scowled. "Well, hey! If Dr. Light suddenly decided to off you, wouldn't you want to get back at him, too?"

Blues was silent. Rock glared back at Bass and said hotly, "He'd never do that, so it doesn't matter!"

"Regardless of all of that, you three," said Zero, cutting in, "I agree with Bass. I say we go smashing!"

"But who knows how many Mavericks are holed up in there?" X asked. "A frontal assault would be suicide."

Zero shrugged. "We can handle them. The only thing to really worry about is if he has spike traps."

Rock shuddered. "...Spikes. I freaking hate spikes."

"Don't we all," said X.

"No, X, you don't understand," said Blues, walking over and putting a hand on Rock's shoulder. "Rocky has an irrational hatred of them."

The little blue robot folded his arms. "_You_ try infiltrating Wily's fortress alone, armed only with a dog with a spring on his back!"

X shrugged. "I've infiltrated plenty of spike-filled cesspools on my own, also. And some with Zero along, but that basically counts as being alone."

"You suck, X," Zero grumbled.

"Okay, everyone," Blues cut in. "I think we can all agree that we won't be getting anywhere without bringing the battle to Wily. What do you say to an attack on Skull Fortress at dawn?"

"Not dawn, dawn's too early," Zero complained.

"Tomorrow morning, then," X said. "I can call Alia now and ask them to start analyzing the fortress for the best way in. There has to be a route that gets us inside without being vaporized first."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Rock said, nodding. " And anyway, Wily's only had that castle for a few days. He can't have had time to install too many spikes yet..."

------

"_I freaking hate spikes!_" Rock cried, clinging to Blues after finally making it to solid ground. Behind him, the deadly spike pit stretched around the corner and out of sight, traversable only by many small platforms, some of which were moving, disappearing—or both.

Blues awkwardly patted his younger brother on the head as the boy buried his face in his scarf. "Whoa, Rocky, calm down! We're through them now, and everybody's fine, see?

"Yeah, quit the waterworks," Bass said, rolling his eyes. "Beating up on Wily will make you feel better. Let's go."

"...I guess you're right," Rock sniffled, pulling back.

Blues gave him a final pat on the shoulder. "C'mon, the inner area should be just ahead."

The group had found entering Skull Fortress to be surprisingly simple, sneaking in through an entrance very similar to the one Bass had used to spirit them inside the castle of a hundred years ago. Obviously, Wily hadn't bothered to change his layout much. The traps were different, and Bass's security overrides didn't work on everything, but the puzzles (aside from the spike pits) were fairly simple. Most oddly, they hadn't run into any Mavericks yet, only a few security mechaniloids who they quickly dispatched before they could sound the alarm.

The group continued walking, climbing a staircase and entering a system of corridors that seemed very similar to their own time period's Skull Fortress. Walking along the hallway, Rock glanced into the rooms branching off on either side. Most were empty, or filled with crates. He passed another room, glanced inside and continued walking—then froze. Looking back from inside were the three robot masters.

"...You again?" X asked, arming his buster, as Elec Man got to his feet and walked to the door. But the yellow robot master made no move to attack, and neither did his brothers, although they looked more nervous than Elec. Rock was very confused.

Elec Man folded his arms, half leaning against the doorframe. "Hey, what's up?" he asked. "What brings you to Skull Fortress?"

X looked lost for an answer to the unusual greeting, so Zero shrugged and said, "Invading, what else?"

"Ah, right, right," said Elec. "Yeah, go ahead and take whatever you want."

"What?" asked Blues, sounding rather startled himself.

"Um... you aren't going to stop us? Or fight us or anything?" Rock asked.

"We don't really care right now," Cut Man said, rising and walking to stand beside Elec.

"Um... well, thanks," said X, lowering his buster.

Elec shrugged. "Welcome. But you should hurry on through. We didn't see you."

"You... wouldn't happen to know where Wily and Sigma are, would you?" asked Bass.

"He's in the future somewhere with Captain Cue-Ball," Cut answered, shrugging. "Go check his notes or something. And you didn't hear it from us."

"The future?" said X, confused.

Elec smiled. "Just get going. Our other brothers are around here somewhere, and they probably won't be as hospitable."

"Gotcha. Thanks for the not-help," said Zero.

"Good luck," Elec replied.

"No parting puns?" X asked.

"Maybe later," Elec said, grinning.

"...I'll look forward to it," X said.

They continued down the corridor, surprisingly uneventfully. Once they heard footsteps in an adjoining corridor, but after they froze and listened breathlessly, weapons ready, they passed on and disappeared into the distance. No other robot masters crossed their path.

The doors to Wily's laboratory were in the same location as before. "Old coot just reused the blueprints," Bass said, kicking the portal open. As the Robot Masters had said, the room was empty.

"You know, I'm not normally one to say this but I'm really starting to get annoyed that we haven't seen Wily yet," Rock said, looking around the room. "He usually pops out to taunt me a few times."

There was much less junk in the main room than in the past fortress, though there was still a workbench and a large computer. Bass walked over to it, turning on the power. "Here we go," he said, after scrolling through menus. "Stupid Wily for not changing his password."

"What did you find?" Rock asked.

"His notes suggest he plans on going a century or so into the future. Again. He's got the date marked as 22XX."

X raised an eyebrow. "He's going to blindly jump into an era he knows nothing about?"

Bass shrugged, not turning from the screen. "He's Wily."

"Well, let's go after him, then!" said Rock, pumping a fist in the air. "How bad could it be?"

"Like X said, we'd be jumping blindly into an era we know nothing about," Zero told him. "For all we know, the whole world could be covered in killer radiation by then or something."

"...We're _robots, _Zero," Blues pointed out.

"Still!"

Rock shook his head. "Zero has a point, but we don't really have a choice one way or the other. If Wily's gone there, we have to follow before he does too much damage."

"...Mega Man's right," Bass agreed. "Someone get the time machine ready."

"Shouldn't I call HQ first?" X asked, as Blues pulled out the device and began setting the dials.

Zero nodded. "Go ahead. Alia will go ballistic if you disappear without telling her again."

X rolled his eyes. "...Right. Excuse me, then."

"What, you want to have a private chat?"

"No, Zero!" said X, the slightest hint of red creeping into his cheeks. "Why do you always have to be so... so..."

"Irritating?" The blonde smirked. "It's what I do."

X glared at him. "Just shut up while I call her." He turned and walked towards a corner of the room, dialing his communicator.

"Right... have a nice chat, you two!" Zero called after his friend's retreating back. X demonstrated his supreme patience and ignored him.

The others looked at each other. "...So... uh..." Rock began.

"...Yeah... how long is he going to be?" Bass asked, spinning around in his chair.

" If he's not done in an hour, I say we jump him and take the comlink away," said Zero.

"...I'm going to go take a look around, then," said Blues, heading for the door.

"Don't bother," said X, turning back around. "I can't get a signal in here..."

"Huh?" Zero asked.

"Wily's equipment is jamming my transmission," he explained. "I guess Sigma showed him how to do it."

"But we can't just leave without contacting them..." Rock said.

X shook his head. "We don't have time, Rock, as much as I hate to say it. Sneaking in here was dangerous enough, we'll probably be caught if we stay here much longer. And who knows what Sigma is up to. If we're going to do this, we have to hurry."

"Fine, X," said Zero, taking the time machine from Blues. "But you have to deal with the wrath of Alia-zilla when we get back."

"I'm going to tell her you called her that, you know."

"...Shutting up now."

* * *


	15. Dystopia

* * *

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

_Dystopia_

* * *

The time portal opened, and flung the five heroes violently to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust. Rock picked up his head after landing face-first in the soil of 22XX. His eyes widened in shock as his vision cleared and the landscape became visible. 

Barren, desolate, desert-like sands stretched as far as the eye could see. There were no obvious signs of life anywhere, and even the morning sun beat down hard on them. A harsh desert wind blew from the west, kicking sand into his face as it howled past. The heat was oppressive, the air was stale, and everything was dead. Truly, Rock felt as though he had fallen into a nightmare.

There was a grunt nearby. Rock looked up to see Bass pulling himself up to his feet. "I'm still not used to that," he said, brushing off dirt from his shoulders. His red eyes darkened when he caught sight of his surroundings, but he said nothing.

"This… is the future?" Proto Man's voice came from behind Rock, and he turned to see his brother scowling, arms folded. "Desolate and unforgiving. Where have I seen this before?"

"Now's not the time for that kind of joke," Bass muttered.

"The date on the time machine says 22XX," Rock said, looking down at the small device's blinking display screen. "We're right where we're supposed to be."

"…I guess… we didn't help the world's situation much," came X's voice, full of weariness. The blue Hunter looked rather shocked, and though he was trying to keep a straight face, Rock could tell seeing this future pained him deeply.

Zero walked up to his friend and rested a hand on his shoulder. "Don't get so discouraged yet. We don't even know where we are. Maybe we just landed in a really bad area."

"Maybe…" X trailed off, obviously not very comforted by the thought. Zero gave a shrug and surveyed the landscape with Rock.

"Well, wherever we are… it kinda looks like the middle of nowhere," he said.

"Yeah," Rock agreed.

"Hey… I think I see something over there." Bass pointed off to the east. There was a medium-sized hill, steep, but definitely climbable. The ebony robot clambered up the incline, and then looked into the distance. "Um, guys," he started. "You're going to have to see this for yourselves."

"What is it?" Zero asked, hiking up beside him. He took one step back once he could see over the hill. "Damn! That city's huge!"

"City?" X asked, perking up. He dashed up the hill and looked down. "Wow… Rock, Blues, you have to see this." They both approached, and saw what had stunned the others.

Below was a massive metropolis, bigger than even the city in 21XX. Lights from tall skyscrapers illuminated the skyline. Buildings spread across the landscape like a blanket; it looked like it stretched for dozens of miles, and most structures were tens, even hundreds of stories tall. Some of the tallest buildings had large domes on the top of them, and when filled with light, they looked like tiny ecosystems sitting atop the man-made city. The streets were filled with cars, and the skies were peppered with hovercraft, presumably both civilian and commercial. A cloud of smog drifted over the city, making it look far darker than the daytime around them.

"Whoa," Rock said, shading his eyes and staring at the city. "That place is enormous!"

"I guess we should head for it." Blues shrugged. "There doesn't seem to be anywhere else we can go."

"Yeah, I think you're right," X said, starting down the hill. "Though we should be careful. We don't know what we're dealing with out here."

------

The city was even bigger up close than it had looked from a distance. There was a large wall surrounding the perimeter, so at first they found it difficult to get inside. Rock briefly wondered why such a large city would need walls when there didn't appear to be anything else nearby. Eventually, the five wandering time travelers stumbled across a small hole in the barrier near the ground. They slipped under it carefully and found themselves in a darkened alleyway.

The tiny alley smelled horrible. Garbage piled up against the walls, and Rock saw several large rats picking through the debris. One of them looked up at him and gave off a loud hiss before it skittered away, deeper into the pile of decaying filth.

"Well, garbage still smells bad in this era." Bass grasped his nostrils with his hand before he shut down his olfactory sensors. "I guess some things never change."

"What were you expecting? Freshly baked cinnamon rolls?" Blues retorted, walking toward the end of the alleyway. "I'm going to go take a look around."

"I'll go with you," Rock said. He followed his older brother carefully out of the alley. He could hear the sounds of the shifting garbage behind him, which indicated the others were coming as well.

"Wow," said X, as they stepped into the street. Buildings loomed around them, the sky almost lost amid their concrete and steel. "This place is even bigger than the city in our time… taller, more spread out…"

"And more polluted," Bass griped, glancing at the litter in the gutters, and then up at the distant, smoggy sky. "I'll bet all the shiny new technology they have here is all at the cost of the environment."

"I didn't know you cared about the environment, Bass," Rock replied, a look of surprise flashing through his eyes.

"I don't," Bass stated flatly. "I was making an observation, not a pledge of loyalty to tree huggers."

Rock merely rolled his eyes in return.

X looked up the street, which fortunately appeared to be empty. "Let's move further inward. But let's try not to look too suspicious." He removed his helmet and brushed his hair back with his hand.

"Yeah, we won't look suspicious _at all,_" Bass snapped. "Half our group would stand out at a _circus,_ let alone walking down the street."

"Don't be snide," Blues returned sharply. "It won't get us out of here any faster."

They headed down the road and turned right onto another street, heading for the city core. As they moved deeper the roads became cleaner and the streets were busy, filled with flying hovercraft and bustling with activity. Humans scurried along the sidewalks, slipping into stores and carrying shopping baskets. Most people paid no mind to the group, though a few did turn to stare at Bass and his silly looking helmet, along with Zero's long hair. X still had his helmet off, and was carrying it idly beside him. Rock had followed suit in removing his helmet, though Blues chose to keep his on.

"Wow, look at those reploids." Zero discretely pointed to a small group on the other side of the street. They wore vests that reached most of the way down their torsos, and their bodies were covered by dark jumpsuits. Their gloves and boots were all unusually long, but weren't as wide as the boots X or Zero wore. The Reploids were also built very slightly, far more lithe and skinny than the average reploid of 21XX. "Man, they're dressed weird. Who decided on wearing getups like that? I'd hardly call it good fashion sense."

"The irony in that statement is sickening," Bass grumbled, glaring at Zero.

"What?"

"Forget it." Bass waved a hand in Zero's direction, brushing off the reploid's indignant query.

"Are you implying that my armor is gaudy?"

"You said it, not me," Bass returned.

"Hey, I don't mean to interrupt your extremely important conversation," Blues said, pointing off to another direction. "But, I think you may be interested in seeing what looks like the city police force."

Off in the direction Blues had indicated was a group of about six reploid-like robots. They were clad in cobalt blue vests over a lighter jumpsuit, with long blue boots on their legs. Each had a large and rather unpleasant looking buster gun on its left arm. They wore blue helmets with trim that matched the jumpsuits, but the most notable thing about these soldiers was their faces — or really, the lack thereof. In place of it there was only a single, glowing, blood-red mechanical eye.

They marched three abreast down the street in perfect formation, more like machines than reploids. Anyone in their path quickly stepped aside and allowed them to pass unhindered. They continued marching for a block, and disappeared around a corner up ahead.

"Those things..." Bass muttered, looking puzzled, red eyes dancing back and forth between the distant corner and X.

"They looked an awful lot like you, X," Rock said, finishing Bass's sentence.

X said nothing, but made a noise that sounded agitated and uncomfortable. Rock could tell that the blue Hunter had noticed the similarity as well, and it looked like it had instantly given him cause for concern.

"Maybe," Zero said, stepping alongside X. "It's probably only a coincidence, right?"

"I'd imagine so," Bass answered.

"Though… something I find that's unsettling..." X began, causing everyone in the group to look directly at him. "Is how many humans we've seen and how few reploids we've run into. Doesn't that strike you as odd? I mean, I think I've seen between five or ten humans for every reploid I've seen so far. There don't seem to be nearly as many reploids as there are in our time."

"Maybe we're just not in the right part of the city, X," said Zero, shrugging and trying to sound positive. "I mean, this place is gigantic. I'm sure there are tons of reploids around elsewhere. Why wouldn't there be?"

"Unless things aren't as they seem on the surface…" Blues said quietly to himself.

"What was that, brother?" Rock asked, looking over to him.

"Nothing, don't worry about it," came his reply, as he tightened the knot on his scarf.

"Well, why don't we just keep looking around the city a bit more?" Zero put his hands to his hips confidently and began walking forward. "I'm sure Sigma and Wily would be hiding here rather than out in the wastelands anyway. How bad could this place be, anyway?"

"Never, ever ask that question!" Bass snapped, walking toward him. "If anything bad happens now, it's on your blonde head." He pointed to Zero's hair, and then made a throat slitting gesture with his index finger.

"Jeez, cool your circuits. We'll be fine." Zero continued forward, and Rock quickened his pace to keep up. Bass walked alongside the red Hunter but kept his distance from Rock. Blues and X kept a few paces behind, but were easily in sight of the other two.

"I don't like it here," Bass stated flatly, as they passed the group of reploids, watching them curiously as they passed. "Something's off. I can feel it. Hate to say it, but I think X might be on to something."

"But what is it, then?" Rock asked.

"How should I know, rockhead?" Bass snapped. "You've been here as long as I have."

"Well, keep your cool for now, both of you." Zero glanced quickly between the two of them. "It'll be less conspicuous if you go with the flow. There's a reason why I'm laid back, you know."

"Okay, I think we can do that." Rock smiled.

"Good, glad to hear it. Now, let's go find us a Maverick and a crazy old coot." Zero cocked his head to indicate that they should turn at the next intersection. He turned the corner first and was quickly followed by Bass and Rock. However, Zero's rather hasty turn around the corner put him right in the path of another patrol of the blue machines they had encountered earlier.

Zero clumsily rammed right into one of them, stumbling backwards. Bass grabbed him before he fell and helped steady him. The machine he had run into was not as lucky, tumbling to the ground, but picking itself back up quickly. However, seeing their comrade fall, the other soldiers raised their weapons and pointed them at the three time-travelers. Rock quickly slipped his helmet back on, fearing that there might be trouble.

"Oh, man. I'm sorry about that," Zero said, rubbing the back of his head nervously.

The lead unit, whom Zero had unfortunately collided with, raised his weapon at him and spoke in a mechanical, almost grating voice. "Present identification!"

"Whoa!" Zero exclaimed, taking a step back. "Hey, we're just passing through."

"Present identification," the machine ground again.

"Uh, I'm… Rock," Rock said, walking forward a couple steps. The machines responded by turning to point their weapons at him.

"Provide identification cards immediately!"

By this point, Blues and X had turned around the corner, but had not drawn the attention of the guards. "What's going on here?" Blues asked, his eyes dancing between his brother and the guards' weapons.

"Prepare for identification scan," the lead unit said. A loud click followed by a whirr filled the air and the lead robot's eye turned from red to a bright green as it began to look over the newcomers, starting with Rock. Next, it turned its head to Bass, who was standing in his usual irritated pose, arms folded, his brow furrowed into a frown. Next, the lead turned to Zero, and began his scan.

The red Reploid smiled broadly. "See, nothing to worry ab—" He was cut off by a loud click, and a terse buzzer. "What?" he asked, his voice suddenly turning serious.

The patrol guards spun toward Zero, their weapons clicking as they disabled the safeties. "Target signature confirmed! Maverick Zero detected! All units, open fire!"

"Whoa!" Zero exclaimed. Without thinking, he drew his beam saber and cut off the lead robot's weapon with a single, precise stroke.

Bass reacted next. He quickly put three plasma shots into the head of another battle robot, liquefying it into titanium slime. Rock opened fire on the lead machine, who was now noticing it had no buster. Even without being charged, Rock's weapon penetrated the armor on the unit and caused it to explode, taking out another nearby drone.

The remaining three patrol droids opened fire at Zero, but he simply dodged to the right, avoiding most of the incoming plasma bullets. The remaining ones he swept aside with his Z-Saber.

Rock turned as he heard the hum of X's charging weapon, and jumped out of the way just in time for X to unleash a fully charged blast to annihilate the last three clustered units.

"What the hell was that?" Zero said, deactivating his saber.

"_Maverick_ Zero?" X demanded, putting his helmet back on his head. He adjusted it quickly and then continued. "Zero, if you go crazy on me, I swear I'm going to…"

"Not now, you two!" Blues shushed them, motioning with his hand. "Listen! There are more of them coming!"

"Yeah, lots more," Bass said bluntly, pointing down the road. About two dozen more of the blue robots were rounding the corner a block away and heading straight for them.

"Ooh, that's no good." Zero said. "I suggest retreat. Who here agrees?"

"Retreat? Why?" Bass snapped, charging his weapon and gritting his teeth. "We can take them, no problem!"

Zero pointed to the side. "That's why, Bass."

Bass reluctantly looked toward where he was pointing, trying not to take his eyes off the incoming blue swarm for very long. There was a group of humans in the shadows of the skyscrapers watching them fearfully, and several reploids backing away slowly. Many more humans looked out from the nearby buildings, glaring at them, studying them from afar as though they were on the other side of a one-way window.

"…There's a lot of people around here," Bass said, taking a little bit of the edge from his voice. "That's what you're talking about, isn't it?"

"We don't want them caught in the crossfire," X returned, with a nod. "Zero's right. We should just get moving while we have the chance."

"Right. Come on, let's go!" Blues motioned for them to follow as he spun around, dashing back the way they came. The others followed quickly, with the blue security robots close on their heels, firing wildly at them as they ran.

"What are they doing? Why are they shooting at us like this?" X demanded, looking back over his shoulder. "There are civilians everywhere! This is crazy!"

"I don't get it… aren't they the security guards? Aren't they supposed to be looking out for the common good and safety?" Rock asked, rounding a corner with the rest of the team. "I mean, if they think we're Mavericks, that's one thing, but wouldn't they try not to open fire unless they had to?"

"That's our policy in our time, Rock!" X said.

"Guess times and people change, don't they, X?" Bass snapped, pumping his arms harder and lengthening his stride.

"Would you three quit the commentary and keep moving?" Proto Man called to them, his face hardened in a severe expression. "We can talk about this after we lose whatever those things are!"

"How about we go hide in one of those junky old buildings we passed when we came in?" Zero said, looking further down the road for anything that might meet his rather vague description. "That should buy us some time."

They passed down block after block of streets, each getting filthier and grimier as they grew closer to the walls of the huge city. Rock looked over his shoulder, and saw a tell-tale wave of blue rustling in the shadows. "Guys, there are more of them following us than ever!" he called forward to his friends as the patrol guards moved out from the side streets and began surging towards them, still in neat formation.

"Hey! We're not near any civilians! Can we _please_ kick their butts now?" Bass demanded, forming his buster while continuing to run.

"There's too many of them chasing us to safely hide." Blues slowed, and then spun around. "We don't have a choice. If we want to lose them, we're going to have to wipe these ones out!"

"Now you're talking, old man!" Bass whipped around and flipped his weapon to full automatic. Laying into the trigger, Bass poured shots over the street. The plasma cut through the front line of drones, disabling or damaging most in one shot. Then, various charged shots from the other four began interspersing with Bass's, taking out lines of the machines at once. Return fire from the guards was weak and inaccurate, splashing on the walls around them.

"At least they aren't very sturdy," X commented, as his shot sliced through one drone to melt the processor of another following behind.

"Yeah, but there's still a lot of them," Zero replied, deflecting a plasma bolt off his saber. Not wanting to charge in and get caught in a swarm of enemies, he was forced to the defensive.

"Hey! I've got an idea!" Mega Man shouted, as even more units approached from around the corner. "Bass, hold your fire for a sec when I give you the signal!"

"And why would I want to do that?"

"Just trust me, okay? You'll like it." Rock's armor quickly changed from blue to red and orange, and he began gathering energy for a charged shot. After a couple of moments, Rock raised his buster. "Bass! Hold your fire!" The ebony robot did as told, and then Mega Man released his own attack.

A stream of fire shot from his arm cannon, screaming forward into the chest of one of the robots. On impact, the shot exploded into a raging firestorm that spread almost instantaneously between the units. The ones that survived the initial blast began to burn, their weapons melting away. In a few seconds, the small army that had been chasing them was completely wiped out by Mega Man's fully charged blast of Atomic Fire. The firestorm quickly abated, leaving behind the twisted, charred remains of the drones.

Smoke curled from the barrel of the Mega Buster, and Rock shook his arm rapidly, wincing. Atomic Fire was powerful, but the fully charged blast had overheated the Mega Buster.

"Rock? Are you okay?" X asked, watching as Rock continued to wildly flail his arm.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Rock said, smiling. "I think when Father improved the power output on my buster, he didn't anticipate me using a fully charged fire-based weapon. It's overloaded the cooling units a little, but it's already getting better." His armor faded back to his normal blue color, and the smoke from his weapon began to thin. "There we go. Good as new. I just gotta make sure I don't do that very often."

"With any luck, you won't. Come on, let's go find a place to lay low for awhile." Zero motioned for them to follow as he continued running down the street. They passed several worn-down buildings, until Zero stopped at an old warehouse. There was a metal side door that was askew, and the red reploid peered inside.

It was fairly dark, and the building smelled damp. However, there was enough light to reveal dozens of old, rusty metal cargo containers lying around. Some were stacked atop each other, while others lay carelessly strewn about the dusty floor. But regardless of that, there were plenty of dark areas inside, and plenty of space. The containers formed a labyrinth of sorts within the warehouse.

"Guys, I think we found a safe haven." Zero stepped inside carefully, and searched for any movement. Seeing nothing, he moved in further. "Yeah, this will do nicely. Come on in!"

Rock slowly followed Zero in, with the others behind him. A sense of unease crawled up through his circuits, but he tried to shut it out. This place was creepy. Water dripped from an old pipe above, landing in a muddy pool. Rock watched another drop fall, the ripples in the rust-colored puddle dispersing quickly.

X and Bass moved in next, exploring various nooks around the cargo containers. Many of them were mangled and useless, but a few looked like they could be used for hiding places if the need arose. Proto Man came in last, and with a brush of his hand on Rock's shoulder, beckoned him to continue moving.

Zero and the others stopped in a clearing between four cargo containers. The boxes were laid out in a rectangular fashion, with areas to enter in from the two corners, and a clearing in the middle. There were a few small wooden crates lying in the clearing, which quickly served as chairs for part of the team. There were only four boxes, and X gave his up to Blues.

"So, this is what this place is like, huh?" Bass asked. "Wonderful neighborhood, especially if you like running from the authorities." His tone was biting, but it wasn't directed toward anyone in the group for once.

"Well… I'm not sure where we should even begin our search now," X replied, pulling off his helmet off after Bass finished speaking. He put it on the ground and then gently sat on it. "But… with whatever those things are chasing us, our movement's just been restricted. Any ideas how we can get past this?"

"Not really," Zero returned, spinning the handle of his Z-Saber in his hand idly. "Those guards are persistent. We probably would get tracked down in a matter of moments if we went anywhere populated."

"This place sucks," Bass added. "Since when do the authorities go off on a drop of a hat like that?"

"More importantly," Blues cut in. "Just who is this Zero they called a Maverick? And on what grounds did he become one?"

"I hope Zero didn't get infected with the Virus," Rock said worriedly.

"One way or another though, we still don't know why things are happening the way they are," X said, his eyes pointed to the ceiling. "If only we knew what to do about those guard drones."

"Yeah, what if they find us here?" Rock asked.

"We fight our way out, of course," Zero answered, giving his wrist a flick as he spun the saber hilt again. "But I doubt they'll find us here for now. I think we have this whole building to ourselves."

"Don't be so sure about that," Blues said softly, his visor pointed in the direction of an open side compartment of one of the storage containers that acted as the eastern wall of the clearing. The inside of the container was pitch dark. "I'm quite sure we have company."

"You don't think…" X started, but didn't finish.

"I do," Bass armed his buster and pointed it at the compartment. "And I'll blast it now, if I have to."

"No, there's no sense resorting to violence." Blues rose from his box and smoothed out his scarf. "You there! In the container! I see you! Come on out. We won't hurt you!" No response. "You don't trust us, huh? Don't blame you. But I know you're in there; just come out. You've nothing to fear from us."

There was silence for another moment. Then tentatively, a female reploid emerged from the darkness. She looked around twenty-three in human years, with pretty but nondescript features, light brown hair, and matching eyes. She wore clothes similar to the reploids they had seen outside. Her jumpsuit was black, and she wore blue pants and a lavender vest.

Close behind her was another reploid, a slightly older looking male. His hair was deep blue, with blue eyes that darted between the strangers cautiously. He wore a dark gray vest with cobalt pants and a black jumpsuit. Both looked tired and ragged, their clothing aged and dirty as though they had been in the warehouse for a very long time. They looked with guarded suspicion at their unwanted guests.

The male finally spoke. "...Who are you?"

"Reploids who've found themselves waist deep in trouble," Bass replied, surprisingly coolly. "What about you?" There was no response to his question, and he frowned slightly.

"We seem to have ticked off those stupid blue robots," Zero stated, slipping his Z-Saber back into its place on his back. "They chased us all the way out here."

"You're Mavericks?" the woman asked, a slight flicker of fear crossing her face. The man looked similarly troubled.

"Mavericks? Hardly!" Rock piped up, in what he hoped was a reassuring voice. "It was just a misunderstanding… we accidentally knocked into one of the patrol guards and they decided to attack us."

The two reploids turned to look at each other, then back at Rock. "So you were falsely accused of being Mavericks?" the man asked.

"Yeah, looks that way," Blues said, walking over to one of the rusty containers and leaning up against it. "What about you two? What are you doing in an unpleasant place like this?"

Another glance was exchanged between them, and the man gave a slight nod to the woman. "We're… on the run too," he said.

"For what?" X asked, blinking. "You don't look particularly dangerous."

The woman laughed slightly, but still sounded nervous. "...We were falsely branded as Mavericks, just like you. The Pantheons are willing to target whatever and whoever gets in their way."

_Pantheons_, Rock thought. _That must be what those pushy machines are called..._ He glanced over at X. The blue Hunter was frowning, arms folded over his knees, watching the two reploids intently.

"So, do you two have names?" Bass asked.

"My name is Simone," the woman replied. She put a hand on the man's shoulder. "This is my husband, Jean-Luc."

"Nice to meet you," X smiled. "...If I may be so bold, may I ask why you were branded Maverick?"

She paused a moment, looking to the floor. "Because we chose to stand up for our rights."

"What do you mean?" Rock asked. "What's wrong with your rights?" This statement earned a powerful glare from both of them, then an expression of great confusion. "...What? What'd I say?"

"You… how could you not know?" Simone asked, startled. "You're a reploid too! You should know as well as us the injustices we suffer at the hands of Dr. Weil."

"Um, well... I um..." Rock fumbled for a decent alibi. "I just had my memory wiped a couple of days ago. I… I don't remember anything about this place."

"That's what happened to all of us," Zero said, running with the story. "I can't even remember who built me and why."

"How did you know your memories were wiped?" Jean-Luc asked, looking at Rock.

"The ones who did it taunted us about it," Bass said smoothly, folding his arms. His face turned sour, and he looked away. "And then they dumped us onto the street. We decided to stick together to be safe, but... it hasn't worked out very well."

"That sounds like something Weil's agents would do." Simone sighed and walked closer to them. She sat down on the cold concrete floor, and Jean-Luc sat next to her and took her hand. Both reploids now looked much more sympathetic than afraid, meeting strangers who were seemingly worse off than even they were. "I'm sorry to hear that… I don't know if your fate is worse than death or not."

"Well, I guess we're a little late to try to stop Weil's pet Maverick Hunters from hunting you down," Jean-Luc said, his tone regretful. "But at least you are still alive."

"Maverick Hunters?" X asked, trying to mask the surprise of hearing his organization being referred to in such a manner by such kind-sounding reploids. "And who is Weil? You've mentioned him a couple of times."

"He's the dictator of this city," Simone answered. "He took over not too long ago, but he's already spreading his influence quickly and violently. He rules over all of Neo Arcadia with an iron fist. He's a horrible man."

"He's revoked any semblance of rights from reploids," Jean-Luc added. "We have no freedom of speech, no freedom of movement, no freedom of choice in anything. We're essentially slaves to his operations." He shrugged. "There's even a rumor floating around that he's considering outlawing names for us and making us go only by our operating numbers. We can do nothing, except work and die."

The time-travelers looked at one another, horrified at this turn of events. X in particular looked stunned, and Zero reached out and placed a steadying hand on his friend's shoulder.

Blues glanced at his brothers, then turned to the couple again. "How did this happen? Why haven't other humans stepped up to challenge this?" he asked quietly. "Surely there are some who believe in reploid equality, right?"

"Everyone in the city is afraid of Weil," said Simone, shrugging. "And, well, reploid rights weren't anything to speak of even before Dr. Weil took control from the Maverick Hunters."

"Wait, the Maverick Hunters were the governing force in Neo Arcadia?" X asked, puzzled.

"Yes," Jean-Luc answered, grimly. "The humans here feared a violent Maverick rebellion so much that they let the Maverick Hunters, led by the war hero Mega Man X, rule the city."

Zero's eyes immediately shot over to X. He could tell X was reeling from this news. His exterior appeared relatively calm, but his widened eyes betrayed him. The other three appeared similarly alarmed, but wisely, none spoke.

"Mega Man X?" X asked softly, his eyes latching on to the two reploids.

Simone's fingers trailed in the dust, drawing intricate patterns of people and places long gone. "They say he was once a great champion of Reploid rights," she said, sketching an image in the dirt — a faceless reploid, in a helmet with a jewel. "But after the Elf Wars, Mega Man X changed… When he was given total control of Neo Arcadian arms and armies, he clamped down viciously. He suddenly ordered that all reploids' property rights be revoked, and ordered all reploids not serving in the Maverick Hunters to be absolutely subservient of humans. Any reploid who questioned this order was immediately silenced by retirement."

"Even then, the humans weren't satisfied," Jean-Luc said. "They wanted Mega Man X to remove our rights of freedom of speech and expression. They also wanted to demonize us by refusing to let us marry because we aren't actually 'alive.' X granted these wishes without a second's hesitation."

"That's… horrible," X said, looking down at the ground. "How… how could he do something like that? To his own people?"

"I don't know," said Simone, shrugging. "X also revoked the right of due process for reploids. Any reploid who does anything remotely out of line is branded a Maverick and either terminated or reprogrammed immediately. Those Pantheon guard units were a symbol of X's hold over us. They were made in his image to remind us all of him. They show no mercy to anyone or anything."

"Surely someone must've resisted this change," Blues stated, looking them both over carefully from behind his visor. "You've already said you're here because you stood up for your rights. There must be others."

"What exactly did you do?" Zero asked.

"Well... as you know, we are absolutely subservient to the humans… so we are forced to work where they say so," Jean-Luc said, looking Zero in the eye. "I was once an employee in an electronics plant in western Neo Arcadia. Simone here worked in the same factory. We worked together for a very long time; that's where we met, and that's where we fell in love."

"We scarcely got to see each other outside work," Simone said, nodding, "though there were times we managed to sneak out and meet each other in secret. We were always on guard, afraid the Pantheons would find us. But we were lucky; we were never caught."

"Then one day while at work," Jean-Luc continued, "I received a notice that I would be transferred to the northeastern Neo Arcadian arms plant, where they manufacture Pantheons and the Maverick Hunter's feared Golem units. That arms plant in particular has a notorious reputation. Countless reploid workers die there because of horrible safety conditions. But there are even worse rumors about that place. Sometimes, a Golem is activated before its safety protocols are programmed in and it rampages through the factory, killing any reploid in its way. Typically, they are deactivated by the Maverick Hunters stationed there, but not before they watch the workers get ripped limb from limb."

"He came to me with the news," Simone said. "I was devastated. He was the only person who really cared about me… and I loved him. I couldn't sit aside as he was sent to his death." She visibly held his hand tighter. "We did the only thing we could do. We ran away. We deserted our jobs and fled. We've eluded capture since, hiding wherever we can. Those Pantheons still continue to hunt us to this day."

"How long ago did this happen?" Blues asked.

"It's been… about three and a half weeks, I think." Jean-Luc answered. "But… I can honestly say… that the decision to run was the best I've ever made." A smile tugged at his lips slightly. "Though we live in fear, it's no different than before. At least now, no one can tell Simone and I that we're not married." He raised his left hand, revealing an old steel nut on his ring finger. Rock noticed Simone had a matching one. "Out here, we're free, even if we live in complete destitution. And that's enough for me."

"So because you were already on the run anyway, you decided to say you were married, huh?" Bass asked. "Good for you."

X still looked stunned by the state of this era and the couple's story. Rock wasn't feeling much different himself. He had thought 21XX was a horrible time period, but it was nothing in comparison to the terror that presided over this age. And he could only imagine what X was feeling, knowing that not only had his efforts to help the planet been completely undone, but that he had been part of the cause...

_No_, Rock told himself firmly. _X would never do something like that. There has to be an explanation. We just have to find it._

"Did you run into any others who fled like you?" Blues asked, breaking the silence that had fallen.

"Yes, now and then we've met with other escaped reploids," Jean-Luc replied. "But… many of them have been caught by Pantheons and died. It's only a matter of time until we're found out here. But we don't care. Death together is better than life as a slave."

"Now you're talking!" Bass said. "That's the way more reploids need to start thinking if they want their rights back."

"You have a lot of spirit, you know. It's amazing you're still alive." Simone laughed lightly. "But… there is hope for reploids, I think."

"What do you mean?" Rock asked, looking up.

"There's an organized reploid resistance movement outside of Neo Arcadia," Jean-Luc answered. "They continually perform guerilla operations against the Maverick Hunters and now against Dr. Weil and his forces. They're fighting as hard as they can to change things. And believe it or not, the Resistance is being led by a human."

"Yes, I believe her name was Dr. Ciel," Simone added. "I don't know if that information is true or not… it's only what we've heard through rumor and Neo Arcadian propaganda."

"Though we do have the Resistance to blame for the recent clampdown," Jean-Luc said. "It's rumored that a reploid with a glowing blade slew Mega Man X. That's how Weil came to power. X named Weil his second in command, and when X died at the hands of this mystery reploid, Weil took over and began his reign of terror."

"Weil's worse than X could ever hope to be," Simone continued after Jean-Luc finished. "Weil not only targets reploids with the harshest legislation, he's beginning to put the humans in a bind as well. He's slowly taking their rights one by one… but humans are too concerned with their own safety to notice."

"They'll begin to, eventually," Blues said, leaning back against the wall.

"Hey, um…" X finally broke his silence. "You mentioned a war earlier. What was it?"

"The Elf Wars?" Simone asked. X nodded. "That was a major turning point in history. …I guess considering you don't have any memory of anything, you don't remember what a Cyber Elf is, do you?"

"No, could you tell us?" X replied.

"A Cyber Elf is a strange little thing," said Simone, sketching a small fairy-like creature in the dirt, beside the drawing of X. "It's like a computer program given physical form. They're not that much different than reploids in some regards; many of them have minds of their own and can think and talk. I used one of them in the plant to help me work more efficiently. It would help me identify faulty electronics. Basically, those little programs assist reploids. I guess they're not unlike mythical fairies."

"They sound very useful."

"Oh, they are," said Jean-Luc. "Perhaps too useful, really… that's why the Elf Wars started. Cyber Elves were new technology, and the Mavericks wanted them too. I'm not too sure on the specifics in that war aside from how it started and what came out of it, though. Things just… became very bad, very quickly. The Mavericks were very powerful, and the Cyber Elves only made them stronger. The Maverick Hunters were completely overwhelmed. The only reason why humanity won that war was because of Mega Man X and another reploid hero named Zero…"

Zero tried not to react, glancing over at X. His friend continued watching Jean-Luc. "What happened then?" he asked.

"When the war finally ended… ninety percent of all reploids in the world were dead. And it killed more than just reploids. Most of the planet was turned into wasteland, and is still uninhabitable. As for the humans… about sixty percent of the world's population died."

"_Sixty percent? And ninety percent?"_ Rock exclaimed. The others made similar noises of shock and disbelief.

"That's when times for reploids shifted," said Jean-Luc. "They say that before... reploids were almost on the same status as humans. They could own property, control their own lives... but the fighting changed everything." He shook his head. "The war caused a catastrophic energy crisis. Energy Crystals, which we use for power, have become increasingly scarce. The reploids and the Elf Wars, which they had supposedly caused, were blamed for the crisis. That's when our persecution really began. Energy Crystals are essential for a reploid's prolonged survival, and we use up quantities of them sufficient enough to be noticeable. The public needed a scapegoat. We were it."

"But what about X and Zero?" Rock asked. "If they'd fought for reploids, surely they wouldn't allow humans to just blame them like that..."

"Unfortunately, after the Elf Wars ended, both X and Zero disappeared for quite some time," said Jean-Luc. "X reappeared eventually and was given control of the Maverick Hunters. Zero, on the other hand… he's never reappeared."

Zero exchanged a glance with Bass, and then one with X. He returned his view to the two refugee reploids as Jean-Luc continued to speak.

"X's return brought on everything we told you before... and what is worse, when he began these oppressive new laws, he had any resisters brought to prison camps for… retirement. This ensured he remained in power..."

"Retirement," Zero scoffed. "It's just a pretty word for murder."

"And the humans continue to let this happen?" Bass demanded. "Why? Are they stupid, or what?"

"I don't know, my friend." Jean-Luc said, quietly. "But that's why things are the way they are here… I'm sorry you had to learn it like this, but it's better you know than to wander around without a clue."

"I can't believe it…" X said, despairingly. "How is this possible?"

"It's… disheartening, to say the very least," Simone sighed. "And with Weil's grip on Neo Arcadia tightening every day, things are only going to get worse. Our only hope for a better future rests in the hands of the Resistance…"

"But that's only if they can defeat Weil. And then we hope the former Guardians of X don't ever come back," Jean-Luc said flatly.

"Guardians of X?" X asked, looking up.

"They were once X's right-hand reploids, and his protectors," Jean-Luc replied. "There were four of them, and they were each generals in the Maverick Hunters. I don't know too much about them, except they had their own specialties in combat… but their names escape me. All I know is that when Weil entered power, he dismissed them from service. They've disappeared since then. It's hard to say where they ended up."

Simone shrugged. "Most likely they were 'retired.' Good riddance, I say. They followed X's orders without question every time. They were probably as twisted as he was."

"I see," said X quietly. "Is there anything else you can tell us about Neo Arcadia?"

"Plenty," said Jean-Luc, "but you know enough of the basics now to know how this place works. If you're a reploid, you're basically not welcome."

"We gathered." Zero shifted uncomfortably, then rose. He paced slowly back and forth across the clearing, his blonde hair swaying with each step.

"Your hair is really pretty, you know," Simone noted, smiling. "I wish mine looked that nice. Or Jean-Luc's, better yet." Her husband made an indignant noise and then laughed.

"Thanks," Zero said, returning her smile. "I guess I used to pride myself on my hair."

"Well, what do we do now?" Bass asked. "Do you think those Pantheons have moved on?"

"Not likely. But I'll go have a look. There're some windows over on the wall nearby." Zero smiled, and walked out of the clearing, his metallic footsteps very audible on the cold concrete floor.

"Even if they have moved on, where do we go next, anyway?" Bass questioned.

"Wherever we can, I guess," Rock replied. "But what about you two? What will you do?"

"Us? We'll stay here," Simone calmly answered. "This… is our home. For now, at least. We're safe here, and this is the closest thing we can have to actually owning property or having a true place for ourselves, so we'll just stick it out. I hope all of you stay safe. It's nice to see other Reploids that are kind and are willing to stand up for themselves."

"Guys… we have a problem!" Zero came dashing back in with his thrusters. "Pantheons. They've surrounded the whole place and they're heading for the entrance."

"What? They found us here?" Rock exclaimed.

Simone looked at her husband fearfully, and he gave her a weak smile in return. "Well… we had a good run, Simone. I don't have any regrets." Jean-Luc hugged her tightly.

"Don't be so sure it's over yet." Bass got up from his box and put his hands on his hips, and turned to Zero. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

"You bet," Zero reached for his Z-Saber and spun the handle in his hand again. "You with us, Rock, Blues?"

"You know it!" Rock replied, happily. "We can do it!"

"Guess I better go to keep you kids out of trouble," Blues replied with one of his wry smiles.

"You're going to fight them?" Simone asked, startled.

"Of course," Zero replied, grinning. "And we're going to win. You two hang tight and don't worry about anything." He looked over to X. "You ready?"

"Yeah, I'll be there in a second. You guys go ahead," X replied. Blues gave a quick nod and ushered Rock and Bass out of the clearing. Zero sent a quick but solemn look to X, and then turned for the exit.

"Aren't you going to go help your friends?" Jean-Luc asked.

"Of course," X replied. "I… I just have something to say first."

Simone smiled lightly. "Well, go ahead."

X stood, rubbing the back of his head nervously. "After… everything you've been through, you've still held on. My hopes go with you that you'll continue to survive. I don't know if we'll ever see you again, but never give up to them." He picked up his helmet and turning away from them.

"Well… thank you. We'll try our best," said Simone, as she and Jean-Luc stood as well. "...By the way… you may not remember your 'real' name, but… what do they call you?"

The blue Hunter paused. Wordlessly, he put his helmet on his head. The red crystal shone brightly in the darkness. "They call me… X." He turned around, and gave a quick smile. The two Reploids' eyes widened in shock. "Leave those Pantheons to us. Your secret is safe, so don't you worry. Good luck to you both!" X then quickly turned and dashed away, leaving a pair of completely stunned Reploids in his wake.

------

Outside, the others were already deep in battle with a large group of Pantheons.

"I'm not the droid you're looking for!" Zero exclaimed, cutting a pair of drones in half with his Z-Saber.

"I can't believe you just said that!" Bass shouted at him, blasting a nearby robot with a charged shot.

"Hey, I fight with a freakin' _beam saber._ I'm allowed to make jokes now and then."

"Shut up, Zero," Bass replied.

"We've gotta get out of here!" Rock shouted. "How many more of these things are there?"

"A lot," Blues stated bluntly, pointing to the incoming reinforcements. "They must really want you dead, Zero."

"Well, with all the other people after my head, they can get in line." Zero snorted, slicing more Pantheons apart with a light swing of his arm. "Where the heck is X, anyway?"

"Right here!" X shouted, dashing in while firing a charged blast.

"About time, X! And you always call me late to the battle," Zero joked, bringing his saber around to a defensive position. "Now, let's clear out the rest of these chumps!"

A new wave of Pantheons flooded toward them, arm cannons pointed in their direction, ready to fire. They closed to within buster range, and the party trained their weapons on them.

"They never give up, do they?" Bass demanded.

"I just wish they would stand down!" X shouted over the charging hums of his friends' weapons.

Then a ripple went through the Pantheons. Rock watched, startled, as the drones suddenly broke off their attack, their weapons arms dropping to their sides. The startled time-travelers halted their assault as well as one drone stepped forward from the throng, its red eye switching to green. It paused, then suddenly snapped to attention. The other Pantheons immediately did the same.

"What the hell?" Bass said, watching the Pantheons swiftly drop their guard.

"Did they... listen to me?" X asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I get it!" Rock exclaimed. "Remember what Simone and Jean-Luc told us? X was the leader of the Maverick Hunters! These things are probably programmed to follow his orders!"

"Heh, if this time period wasn't so screwed up, that'd be convenient," Blues mused.

"What are your orders, Master X?" said the lead Pantheon, giving a stiff salute.

"Take your men and return to base immediately," X said, not missing a beat. "That's an order, soldier. Move out!"

"Sir? Our orders are to terminate the Maverick Zero on sight. Do you not wish us to proceed with our mission?"

"Don't you know how to listen?" X demanded. "Get back to base and leave this Maverick to me!"

"Sir, yes sir!" The Pantheon soldier saluted once more, and then spun back to his comrades. They followed suit immediately and began marching en masse back toward the center of Neo Arcadia.

After they left earshot and line of sight, X turned to his friends and gave a shrug. "Who knew it would end up being so easy?"

"We don't know how much longer that's going to work though," Blues said. "You're supposed to be dead. I'm amazed it worked at all." He converted his buster back into his hand and then adjusted his scarf. "Well, let's not waste a gift. I think we should leave the city for now until we have a better plan."

"Well, if Sigma and Wily are here, they're probably somewhere in Neo Arcadia. What good would hiding outside the city do us?" Bass asked, for once actually not sounding sour.

"First, the Maverick Hunters are looking for us," said Blues, folding his arms. "Or rather, Zero here. Second, when those Pantheons report that they saw Mega Man X, I'd rather not be anywhere near the manhunt they start. They might not find us immediately in such a large city, but with the casualties we inflicted today, they're going to be out for blood before long. The wastelands are more remote and I'm sure we can find a place to lay low for awhile. They might not think to look for us out there, and I'd prefer to go undetected for as long as possible." He looked away from the center of the city, turning to his youngest brother. "Sound good, X?"

The blue Hunter nodded. "Yeah. And I'd rather not draw any more attention to this area, not with Simone and Jean-Luc still here…"

"Good, then it's settled." Zero smiled. "We'll head out to the sands and wait there!"

"Well, come on, let's go before they decide to come back!" Rock started moving towards the outskirts of town, the others following quickly behind.

------

They had hiked a good distance from the city. The sun was quickly dipping below the horizon; night would fall very soon. The desolate wasteland's winds howled like earlier, though now they were picking up a nasty chill. However, the supposed peace Blues had hoped for was in vain. Not long into their trek the Pantheons had caught up and followed. Every step of the way they were hounded by jetpack drones, and now dropships full of Pantheon troopers were chasing them down. The group was eventually pinned near an old set of ruins, with enemies coming in from all sides. By now, it was all but dark.

"Hey X! Why don't you tell our new friends to get lost?" Bass demanded, taking cover behind an ancient, battered stone wall.

"I'd love to, Bass, but I can't exactly order them around from here!" X shouted back over the sounds of plasma bullets whizzing past.

"Well, you'd better do something fast, or that army's going to make scrap metal out of all of us, kid!" Zero shouted back at him. "Unless we decide to break through, that is!"

"Fine, fine, I'll try talking to them!" X crawled toward one of the lower walls where he spotted the lead Pantheon was.

"X! Be careful! What if they shoot at you?" Rock called over.

"Then we'll shoot _back _at them, rockhead!" Bass called back. "X, go ahead, we'll give you covering fire if you need it!"

Taking a deep breath, X prepared his voice to shout louder than he ever had before.

"_Troops! Hold your fire!"_

The whizzing plasma shots stopped briefly, and X stood up from cover and approached the troops slowly and deliberately. X put a stern frown on his face as he drew closer, and then when he was within arms' reach of the commanding unit, he folded his arms and glared at him. "Just what do you think you're doing, soldier?"

"Following Dr. Weil's order to terminate the Maverick Zero, sir!"

"Soldier, are you aware of what you've been doing?"

"Sir?"

"You've been attacking your commanding officer! What the bloody hell were you thinking? I told the battalion in the city to leave this Maverick to me!"

"But Master X, what are you doing out here?"

"This is why you're a grunt! If we fight in Neo Arcadia, we directly put the humans in danger! That is not the Maverick Hunter way. I will kill this Maverick out _here,_ where no one else will get hurt."

"Yes sir, Master X!"

"Round up your men and take them back to headquarters! I don't want to see any of them again until I return! Is that clear?"

"Sir, yes sir!" The Pantheon spun around. "All units, begin the extraction immediately!"

X continued to stand with a contemptuous look on his face as he watched each of the Pantheon units pile into their dropships and move out. It was at a slow pace, but eventually, only a single group of troops remained, including the commanding Pantheon.

"Sir, the last troops are withdrawing. Do you have any more orders?"

"No. Just don't come back. I will handle Zero personally. He will not escape this time."

Suddenly, a new voice sounded from over a nearby sand dune. "_Oh, really?_"

"What?" X said. Before he could catch glimpse of the voice's owner, the commanding Pantheon exploded violently. Jumping backwards as shards of super-heated metal fell around him, he spun around, searching for the cause of the explosion. The few remaining Pantheon soldiers turned as well, and took aim at something nearby. This time, X did manage to see what exactly was attacking. It dashed forward at the Pantheons in a red and green blur, and in a matter of seconds reduced them to scrap.

The mysterious assailant then turned to X. Clad in a blue jumpsuit with bright crimson boots, gloves, and vest, he held an oddly shaped beam saber in his right hand, and a buster pistol in his left. His helmet carried two very recognizable spikes at the top. His long, blonde hair flowed in the desert wind. The Reploid's cobalt eyes focused on the blue Hunter, a deadly gaze that was all too familiar. X's vocal systems nearly malfunctioned as he choked out a single word.

"…Zero?"

* * *


	16. Living Legend

* * *

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

_Living Legend_

* * *

Evening wind brushed past the two reploids, tugging at the strands of the newcomer's blonde hair. X stood paralyzed by shock and indecision, staring up at the apparition of death bearing his best friend's face. 

"So they decided to make another one of you?" the new Zero said, his blue eyes growing colder. The fading sunlight cast dangerous shadows over his features. "They never learn."

"Wait… another one?" X asked, still unable to move, to tear his gaze from the deadly azure eyes. "What… what are you talking about? I'm…"

"Don't start with the 'I'm a hero' routine." The blonde warrior raised his buster pistol, pointing it steadily at the blue Hunter. "I'm tired of hearing this nonsense every time I see you. I've dealt with you twice, I don't need it again."

"Calm down." X raised his hands and smiled shakily, trying to appear as non-threatening as he could. "Just... just tell me what's going on here."

Zero's expression flashed momentary confusion, before it hardened again. "They didn't bother implanting memories in you this time? Not really that surprising, considering Weil probably thinks his Copy Xs are disposable." X watched as the man's finger tightened around the trigger of his pistol. "Let's get this over with. We'll see who destroys whom."

"Wait, please!" X said desperately. "I don't want to fight you!"

The warrior's aim did not waver. "Quite a change from a minute ago, X. A copy playing the pacifist? I don't buy it."

X swallowed hard as he watched Zero turn off his Z-Saber and slap its hilt into the bottom of his pistol. The weapon immediately began to glow violently. "Uh oh," X choked out, and instinctively threw himself to the side as a charge shot barreled towards him. He wasn't fast enough, however, and the shot hit him square in the chest, sending him off balance and reeling back a few feet. He stumbled somewhat clumsily upright again, wincing and forming his buster. "Fine, then! If you won't listen..." He fired off three shots in quick succession. The aggressive Zero easily dodged the attack, but it gave X enough time to dash away.

"Get back here, coward!" Zero shouted, darting after him.

"No!" X cried, rolling to the left to avoid a pistol shot. "What's happened to you, Zero?"

"Nothing's happened! Stand still so I can shoot you, dammit!" Zero fired off another charge shot at X, but missed by a slim margin. "You're just making this more difficult than it needs to be."

"And why would I make it easier for you to kill me?" X shouted back, dodging behind a boulder, which exploded a few seconds later.

Meanwhile, over by the rubble and ruins, Blues noticed the commotion as X hurtled toward them. "Hey guys! Look sharp, X is in trouble!"

"What's that chasing him?" Rock asked, squinting at the figure following closely behind.

"It doesn't matter! If it's chasing X, it's an enemy. Let's go get him!" Zero leapt over the low wall he had been using for cover. "Hey you!" he called across at the approaching adversary. "Get away from my friend!" He activated his emergency acceleration thrusters and drew his Z-Saber.

X saw the red and yellow blur as Zero rushed past. Looking over his shoulder, he watched as his friend locked Z-Sabers with the pursuing warrior. Each Zeros' eyes widened at seeing the other, but their surprise did not affect their sword arms. They leaned into their weapons, trying to force past the other's guard. Zero gritted his teeth and pushed harder, while his supposed future version stepped forward into the saber lock and frowned more deeply.

"So, they decided to make a copy of _me_ now?" the other Zero grunted through his straining. "As if one of X wasn't bad enough!"

"What are you talking about?" Zero snapped back, his boots digging further into the dusty ground as he fought to maintain his block. "There's only one real Zero!"

"And that's me," the future warrior stated, breaking the saber lock and slipping away with his dash thrusters. Zero grunted in anger at losing his prey and chased after him with an aggressive saber swing. That attack was parried quickly and almost effortlessly by his double.

Pressing his offense, Zero let loose a flurry of devastating strikes at the future foe. Though the attack was powerful, each swing was blocked by a swift maneuver of his adversary's saber. The mysterious reploid was reading his opponent's movements perfectly and reacting smoothly, as though the deadly battle were nothing more than a dance. Then came the counterattack. After Zero performed what would have normally been a crushing vertical slash, his opponent blocked the swing, then countered by spinning his blade around, nearly forcing the beam saber from the Hunter's hand. Then, while the crimson warrior was reeling from the block, his enemy lunged forward and punched him squarely in the face.

"Hang on, Zero!" Rock called, unleashing a charge shot at the attacker. The future reploid leapt nimbly over the blast. While in midair, he deactivated his beam saber and shoved it into his buster pistol again, retaliating with his own charged shot. Rock slid out of the way and the plasma hit the ruins behind him, scattering debris across the sand.

"He's got some good firepower… but mine's better!" Bass yelled, firing a charged shot. His target quickly strafed away, but not to be outdone, Bass switched his buster to automatic. Spraying plasma across the battlefield, Bass tried to pin down his foe. But the red warrior was too fast to be trapped. With a dash and a quick jump, the other Zero vaulted over Bass's wave of shots, closing on him.

But before the future reploid could get close enough to use his Z-Saber on the black-armored robot, he was intercepted by Zero and forced into another saber duel. They traded blows for a few seconds, before Proto Man unleashed a carefully aimed charged blast. The shot managed to connect, rocking the future reploid away from Zero.

Shaken, but looking relatively unhurt from Proto Man's blaster, the other Zero then turned his pistol at the red robot. Blues easily blocked the low powered, rapid fire shots with his shield, the plasma pinging off of it harmlessly. Undeterred, the red assassin fell back slightly and turned his weapon on X again.

"Handy band of cohorts you have, X," the blonde said coolly, as X dash-jumped away from a line of plasma pistol shots. "Are they your new guardians after Weil banished your old ones?"

X gritted his teeth and began charging his buster, still dodging plasma bolts. "Look! Zero, stop this! We don't have to fight!"

"Sure, we can have a nice cup of tea and talk things over in a civilized negotiation." The warrior aimed his pistol at the blue Hunter once more, energy beginning to coalesce around the barrel. "Yeah right, copy. I intend to finish what I started here."

Bass's eyes darkened as his orange fins quickly turned yellow. This other Zero was turned away from him, and he had a very clear shot. Now to make it count while the enemy was distracted by charging his weapon. Cradling his Bass Buster with his free hand, he lined up the barrel.

Then a wave of lightning burst from the gun, rocketing up and down and forward, straight into the other Zero's back between the shoulder blades. Electricity from the Thunder Beam crackled throughout the reploid's body for several seconds, and the crimson warrior fell forward to the ground, limp.

"Bass! What did you do?" Rock cried, staring at the unmoving enemy and the impassive black-armored robot.

"I ended this fight," Bass said, shrugging. The electricity dissipated from his buster arm and he dispelled the weapon, his fins fading back to their normal color. "By putting him out of commission. Negotiation obviously was getting us nowhere."

"What if you killed him? Is he okay?" Rock said anxiously.

Blues carefully approached the fallen reploid. The first thing he did was to take the saber and pistol, tossing them over his shoulder to X. The elder robot then nudged the future warrior onto his back with a toe. The reploid did not respond, so he knelt for a closer look. "He's breathing heavily…" Blues said. He pushed the warrior's blonde hair aside, revealing more of his face. He did indeed look identical to Zero, now appearing strangely peaceful with features softened by unconsciousness. "Looks like that Thunder Beam worked him over pretty well. He's still functioning, though, and I think he'll be fine. Bass probably just shorted out a cooling unit."

"Won't he overheat?" Rock asked, concerned.

"Not likely," said Blues, tugging off his right glove and pressing a finger to the side of the reploid's neck. "His internal temperature has stopped rising. In fact, it's starting to go down. I'm guessing his auto-repair is kicking in." The red robot looked up at the others. "We'd better find a way to keep him from attacking us when he wakes up. I think he's going to be cranky."

"No kidding," said Bass, folding his arms. "Got any ideas?"

"Well, I saw some pipes and stuff in the ruins we were hiding in earlier," said Zero, pointing over his shoulder. "We might be able to use those to restrain him." Without waiting for an answer, he turned and headed for the ruins. He quickly disappeared behind the walls, and then returned a few moments later with several long, thin metal pipes.

"Do you really think those will be flexible enough to use, Zero?" X asked. "They look kind of brittle."

"I've got another brilliant idea." Zero smiled. "Rock, come here and use a bit of your Atomic Fire to heat these things up. We can bend them more easily that way."

"Whoa, Zero had a good plan," Bass mocked jokingly. "Well, the world appears to have ended already, so it was only a matter of time."

Zero made a noise that was half indignation and half laughing, and held the pipes carefully as Rock's armor changed color. The little robot began to heat the metal with controlled energy from Heat Man's weapon. When the pipes were hot enough, Zero lifted them carefully and bent them around his double's wrists and ankles.

"Are you sure that's going to hold?" Blues asked, watching as the pipes quickly cooled, forming circular metal handcuffs.

"It won't hold him forever, but it'll be long enough." Zero stood back up and put his hands on his hips. "Now what do we do?"

"Those Pantheons are sure to be back," X said. "I don't know how much longer my tricks will work on them."

"Good point. We should start moving." Blues brushed the trailing ends of his scarf over his shoulder, then stared off to the horizon.

"But... what do we do about this… Zero-looking guy?" Rock asked, glancing down at the reploid. "We can't just leave him here… he's what they're after. And if what Simone and Jean-Luc told us is true, they'd kill him if they found him."

"Rock's right," said X. "And right now, he's our only link to what's really going on here, I'm sure of it. We have to bring him with us."

"I'm not carrying him," Bass stated flatly, folding his arms. "No way I want a psychotic reploid waking up in my hands while we're on the move."

"I'll carry him, then. I can handle me," Zero said, trying to sound serious, although he was failing. "It's gonna be weird, though. Hell, it already is weird. I'm looking at… _me._ This seems so unreal."

"Yeah, this is weird. Too weird," Bass replied. "Well, we can grill him later… and there will be plenty of time to be shocked after we get the hell out of here."

"All right," Zero returned, picking up the limp reploid and flinging him over his shoulder. "Let's go. Pick a direction, somebody."

Blues pointed towards a dark mark on the horizon. "Looks like there are more ruins further away. We can probably find a place to hide out there somewhere. What do you say?"

"It's as good as anywhere else," Zero replied. "No objections, X? Rock?"

"No," Rock replied. "I just hope that Zero is okay."

"We don't even know if he's sane, rockhead!" Bass snapped.

"Let's argue about this later, okay?" Blues returned, silencing both of them. "Come on." He ushered Bass and Rock forward and then motioned for X and Zero to follow, which they did, but at some distance.

There was silence for a few moments, but eventually X spoke quietly to the red Hunter. "Zero… are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so. But you try beating up someone who looks exactly like you, wondering what the hell he is." Zero's face was frozen in an unusually serious expression now, and his eyes reflected deep thought going on within his mind. He seemed to not be giving any regard to the fact that he had his alleged future self on his shoulder; he merely stared straight ahead and up, looking just above the horizon.

X was silent for a moment. "It's weird… he recognized me, but he called me a copy… what do you think that means?"

"He called us all copies, X. But… that is curious." Zero's eyes didn't leave their shallow skyward angle, but he was visibly contemplating X's words. "Wait a second," Zero exclaimed, his eyes lighting up and breaking his gaze at the sky. "Didn't Simone or Jean-Luc mention something about the two of us disappearing after the… what was it? Elf Wars?"

X nodded. "Yeah, but I don't understand what you're getting at."

"Isn't it odd that you would just 'reappear' without me? Considering if we both disappeared, it was probably for a reason…" Zero trailed off, and his face turned serious again. "Never mind. I mean, it's just as likely as you came back for a reason, just as I had one for not reappearing…"

"So what, you're thinking the X that reappeared wasn't me?" X asked.

Zero hesitated. "Well... if this guy says he's met a copy of you... It's possible that the X who clamped down so harshly on Reploids wasn't you, but someone's cheap replica."

"I'd hardly call it cheap if it fooled an entire civilization of people, Zero," said X, shrugging slightly. "It must've been a really, really good copy if it was mistaken for and accepted as me. And there's no guarantee that it wasn't me to begin with. I could have very well been Neo Arcadia's ruler, and then someone built a copy at some point down the road…"

"Why would they have done that, though?" Zero wondered.

"I don't know, Zero!" X said, throwing up his hands. "Nothing in this place makes any sense... But what we do know is that this Zero said he'd 'defeated' a copy of me before. And Mega Man X was supposedly killed recently... Maybe they're the same? And he's the one who did it?"

"That's possible too, I guess." Zero shrugged. "But do you think that's what it is? This scrawny guy over my shoulder killed whoever took over Neo Arcadia in your stead?"

"...You just insulted yourself, you know," X pointed out.

"Well, it's true! Look at him!" Zero lifted the reploid off his shoulder slightly. "I am not that wimpy-looking."

X chuckled slightly. "I'm not going to comment."

Zero frowned sulkily, shifting his reploid load so it rested more comfortably across his back.

"Well, you or not, if we want to know who killed Mega Man X he's our best lead," said X. "He has a beam saber, which is probably the 'glowing blade' that we were told about. Neo Arcadian officials seem hell-bent on killing him, considering their response to your appearance earlier. Really, why would they send that many troops to deal with a single Maverick otherwise? And then to send several full units chasing you out here to the wasteland?" X paused, himself looking to the sky. "And of course, he said himself that he's fought copies of me before."

"Wait, _copies?_ As in plural?" Zero's expression darkened.

The blue Hunter nodded. "Yeah, he accused me of being the third."

"This… is entirely too weird." Zero sighed. "This future sucks!"

X laughed softly. "I guess you can put it that way."

Silence fell between them. The ruins were growing closer now, but were still some distance away. The desert wind picked up their footprints in the sand, erasing them as soon as they were made. X looked up at the sky again. The sun was almost below the horizon now, a brilliant blood-red sunset taking its place. "I just..."

"Hm?" Zero shifted the body of the reploid again, and looked over at his friend. "Did you say something?"

X glanced over at Neo Arcadia, a bright smudge of light stretching along to the east, rivaling the dying sun. "I guess... this is what Rock felt like, when he came to our era. To know that time went on, and nothing he fought for came to pass. That everything... just got worse."

"X." Zero's eyes were soft now. "This stuff? I don't believe it. There's no way you could have done all the things Simone and Jean-Luc said."

"But... what if I did?" X replied, looking down at the sand. "What if I do?"

Zero reached over with his left arm, looping it around X's shoulders and then gently tugging so the blue reploid was leaning against him as they continued to walk. "I know you didn't. You wanna know why? Mega Man X would never turn his back on the people. He's not like that. He's soft-hearted, kind, strong, and the most courageous person I know. But most importantly, he's my best friend. And that's _never_ going to change."

"Zero..." X began, but the blonde refused to allow him to interrupt.

"Don't you Zero me, X," he said. "We've seen a lot today that I don't understand. But no matter what happens, I believe in you. I believe that you're someone who does what's right. Understand?"

"...I understand." X shook his head, and then laughed, attempting to dispel the melancholy air that had settled over them. "I'm sorry, Zero. I'm just being stupid."

"Well, at least you realize it." Zero slapped X heartily on the back, and the blue reploid nearly lost his footing. "That's the first step, y'know." The red Hunter smiled broadly with this comment.

"Oh, be quiet," X replied.

"Hey! What are you two slowpokes waiting for? Keep up!" Bass shouted back at them, having put considerable distance between the two teams. "He's not that heavy that you need to slow down! Move it!"

"Impatient, isn't he?" Zero laughed.

"Only a little. Come on, let's not dawdle… he'll never be quiet otherwise," X chuckled lightly, and increased his pace.

The group eventually came upon a large group of ruins that looked like a good place to take refuge for awhile. The area had no ceiling and was filled with rubble, but it looked safe enough with its walls being relatively high. They all stepped inside, walking carefully over the debris scattered across the dirt and concrete floor.

"Now what?" Zero asked, looking at the reploid slung over his shoulder.

"Just lean him up against that wall over there." X motioned with his hand as he spoke. Zero did as told, sitting the other Zero carefully upright, and then walked back to the other side of the room.

Blues quickly took to one of the tallest piles of rubble and scrambled up to the top of it. The pile was probably only waist high, but Rock figured Blues just wanted any little bit of height he could get. Bass merely leaned against one of the walls and folded his arms. An impatient scowl crossed his face, but it was only slight. Rock waited across the room from the disabled Zero, next to X.

"Now," X said, "we wait for him to wake up."

"That could take awhile," Blues replied. "His temperature may have been going down, but it might be some time before his system checks confirm everything's safe."

"So, how are we going to get anything out of him, anyway?" Bass asked.

"Not sure," Zero returned. "I really don't think resorting to violence would be a good idea, but we should definitely try to keep him secured for as long as possible until he proves that he won't try to kill us any longer."

"But X has his weapons!" Rock pointed out. "I don't think holding him against his will is fair if he's not a Maverick. I mean, really… he hasn't done anything wrong."

Bass nearly did a double take. "He tried to kill us, idiot!"

"You've tried to kill me, and I trust you," Rock replied.

"It's not the same thing!" Bass shouted back, throwing his arms up in frustration.

"Yes it is, Bass," Rock said. "I don't think we should treat him as an enemy. He _is_ Zero, after all."

"Don't let his unbelievably handsome face fool you, kid," Zero returned with a smile, but his face turned serious a moment later. "You can never be sure who's friend or foe most of the time."

Rock turned his head. As his eyes traveled over to their prisoner, he thought he saw the still reploid move slightly. He blinked, and narrowed his eyes slightly, but quickly returned back to his normal expression. "I still don't feel comfortable with this, guys."

"Neither do I," X said. "I really would prefer if it didn't have to be this way. But we know nothing about this time period except what Simone and Jean-Luc told us… if we don't get more information somehow, Wily and Sigma will slip through our fingers and we'll be in deep trouble."

Blues took this chance to cut in. "Did any of you stop to think that Zero might be a member of that Resistance they had been talking about? Think about it, if the Resistance conducts operations against Weil and Neo Arcadia, and if that Zero was attacking Pantheons and treated X as an enemy, isn't it possible that he could be one of them?"

"That would make sense, I think…" Rock trailed off. "But if he's a member of the Resistance, that means he'd be fighting for the rights and freedoms of not only Reploids, but humans now too…"

"Hold on, Rocky," Blues said. "We don't know if he even is a member of that group yet. I merely suggested it as a possibility."

"I'd say it's a good one…" X said, quietly.

"Well, we'll just ask him when he wakes up," Zero returned.

"Do you think he'd help us find Wily or Sigma?" Rock asked. "If they get away with any technology from this era, I think we might be in some serious trouble…"

"Hell no, he won't help," Bass answered. "Honestly, Rock. Did you even think about what that means? That means we'd have to tell him we're time travelers, we're from the past and that our Zero might be his past self or something! And do you really think he'd believe us? Hell no! I barely believe it and I'm actually doing the time traveling!"

"I'd agree that the odds of him believing any of that are pretty slim, Rock," Blues stated. "Then again, X and Zero over there believed us; if only because we ended up having them meet Dr. Light."

"And we are not dragging him with us back to meet your dad. That'd be the dumbest thing we could possibly do!" Bass added.

"I couldn't agree more at the moment," Blues returned.

"I still think holding him against his will like this is unfair," Rock stated again.

"We get the idea, shrimp," Bass snapped back.

"Well," X cut in before Rock could return a reply, "I think we should just watch and wait for Zero there to wake up… we'll try diplomacy one more time with him then… hopefully he won't be too furious about being bound like that."

"Oh, I am, don't worry," came a voice from the still Zero. The startled group turned as one to look at him. His blue eyes were open now, and with his hair disheveled and bearing an angry scowl, he looked exceedingly irritated. "Now, are you going to explain yourselves?"

"How… how long have you been awake?" Bass demanded.

"That's for me to know," the other Zero replied, glaring at the black-armored robot.

"Zero... that is your name, right?" Rock began. "May I ask you something?" The other blinked, but nodded curtly. "Are… are you a member of that Resistance we've heard about?"

"…Why would a copy of Mega Man X not know that?" Zero's eyes were narrowed and he glanced over at X, but oddly his tone wasn't overly venomous. Rock picked up a hint of curiosity in the reploid's voice.

"So you are, then," Blues stated.

He inclined his head. "...And who the hell are all of you?"

"You seem to already know X. That's a start. And you seem to know yourself…" Blues said, his voice slightly amused. "That one," he continued, pointing at the younger of the two blue-clad warriors, "is my little brother, Rock. The black armored one is Bass. And I'm Blues."

"…That's it?"

"I believe you're the one being questioned here, Zero," Bass returned, furrowing his brow.

"Bass, there's no need to be like that, he's not our enemy," Rock asserted. The other Zero gave him a dubious look. "You're wondering why I think that, right?" Rock answered his silent question, folding his arms. "Because I know Zero, that's why. Zero's a reploid who always fights for the right cause, and who helps people. And if you're really him, so do you." The future Zero made no immediate reply, but Bass visibly rolled his eyes at Rock's comment, while X and Zero watched stoically.

"Confident, aren't you?" said the other Zero finally.

"I'm also sure you heard everything we said earlier," Rock stated calmly. "Ever since we've been here in the ruins."

"What makes you think that?"

"I saw you move, first of all, even if it was slight. I think you were testing your bonds. And furthermore, you would want to listen to our conversation, to find out more about us. Blues said you might not be unconscious for too long, so… that's how I guessed." Rock sat down cross-legged on the ground and rested his hands on his knees. "Second… if you really were really worried about your safety, you probably would've shattered those pipes already."

The future Zero looked taken aback for a moment, and then he smiled. There was a loud creak and then the snapping of metal as the blonde reploid broke swiftly out of his bonds and stood up. "Like that?" The other robots tensed visibly, except for Rock, who simply smiled.

"Exactly."

"So you knew, and didn't say anything," Zero stated, his tone less than friendly, but not quite aggressive.

"Didn't see the need," Rock shrugged. He glanced over to Bass, who looked like he was about to blow a fuse. He noticed Blues was wearing a smirk on his lips; he probably suspected the same things he had. "Anyway, if you're willing, could you tell us about the Resistance?" Zero made no reply. "Didn't think you'd want to. But that's your choice. We're not going to force you to."

"…You said you were time travelers," Zero said finally. Rock smiled, knowing the question was coming.

"Yes, we are time travelers... it's a bit hard to explain." Rock paused. He'd known the question would be coming, but he hadn't figured out the best way to answer. "...We came here following some dangerous people from our eras, who have also gotten ahold of a time machine. We have to find them before they mess up history too badly."

"So, you want me to believe you know nothing about this era, and you want me to explain," the future reploid said flatly.

"That's the general idea," said Blues.

"We met some reploids while we were hiding in Neo Arcadia who told us some things," said X, "but their knowledge was rather limited. Your perspective would be appreciated."

"I'm sure," said Zero shortly.

"Please, Zero," Rock pleaded. "We didn't want to fight you in the first place, and we can't really stop you if you try to run now. But you're the only lead we have." The boy silently hoped for Bass to keep quiet; this was a very delicate situation, and the black robot's opinions on this matter were not the most trust inspiring. Fortunately, Bass had some discretion; though whether this was through his own will or because Zero had kicked him in the shin when he opened his mouth was anyone's guess.

The other Zero remained silent, the time-travelers watching him. Finally, he said, "What do you want to know?"

Rock let out the breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. X smiled slightly. "Well, you kept calling me a copy before. What did you mean by that?"

"…I suppose that's safe to tell you," said the other Zero, sounding slightly irritated but no longer enraged. "...Shortly after the Elf Wars, the heroes Mega Man X and Zero disappeared. However, X reappeared suddenly and became leader of Neo Arcadia and the Maverick Hunters." He turned, folding his arms. "That X was a fake. Copy X, as he's known to the Resistance, was built by a scientist who believed the world needed a hero. She used plans in the historical databanks to reconstruct the legendary X. However, the product was flawed. He could not live up to the legend. He corrupted X's values, retired countless innocents, and clamped down on all aspects of Reploid life. Eventually, I destroyed him."

X had an odd expression on his face, and Zero was nodding thoughtfully. The other Zero glanced at them, but continued his story. "The Maverick Hunters concealed his death, not wanting to lose their hold over the city or cause a panic. However, not long ago, a man named Dr. Weil built another Copy X. Since the people never knew X had died, he was accepted as leader once more. The new copy was even more twisted than the last, pardoning Weil's crimes and following his every bidding. I eventually destroyed him as well."

"So what happened to the real Mega Man X, then?" Rock asked.

"…That's a long story," said the future reploid. "And I don't think you need to know it."

"I'd say so," said Zero. "Considering Mega Man X is standing right over there." He pointed a thumb in X's direction casually.

His twin did not look convinced. "How can I be sure he's not just another fake?"

"Trust us?" Rock shrugged.

The other Zero paused for a moment. "…Fine, I'll bite. I actually have spoken to the real X in the past… and he told me something about himself that no copy could ever know."

"Ask me anything, then!" X returned, his voice confident. "...As long as it happened before May of 21XX, mind you."

Rock thought the other Zero might have smiled at that, but it was gone in a moment and he decided it must have been imagination. "Fine. You once told me of someone, and how you got them a present, and how you planned to give it to them at the start of a new year. What did you give to this person, and what was their name?" The future reploid folded his arms, and glared at X, his eyes demanding an answer without hesitation.

X's face immediately turned bright red. He fumbled with his fingers, then made hand gestures as he spoke. "Her name's... Alia. It was a small silver bracelet with three rose quartz stones embedded in it. It has an inscription on the underside..."

The past Zero immediately burst out laughing, turning to his friend. "I remember that! Half the base thought you were proposing when you handed her the box!"

"_We're just friends, Zero!_" came X's rather loud reply.

Zero grinned slyly. "That's what you say now," he teased. "But apparently she's important enough for you to mention later on..." The blond reploid's face suddenly hardened. "…Hey, wait a minute… why would you tell me about that? I was there." He turned to his twin. "And wouldn't you already know about this meeting, since I'm here now? ...You answer to Zero, but who exactly are you?"

"…Those are very good questions," Blues agreed, turning to look at the blonde's alternate. "Would you care to answer them?"

The future Zero stood by the wall, looking rather numb. "How… how is this possible? It can't..."

"Of course it's possible!" Rock chimed in. "That's Mega Man X, circa 21XX. Along with… well, you. From the same time period."

"And how would a copy of X know the answer to your question? Let alone a copy of you?" Bass added.

The other Zero was still looking shocked. "I... I suppose… you are telling the truth then."

"We are. But… could you please tell us what happened to you?" Blues said, his voice even, and actually almost friendly.

The other Zero was looking at the ground, his blue eyes still confused. It was relieving to see him displaying an emotion besides anger, Rock thought. "...The legend says that Zero was sealed away at the end of the Elf Wars. Two and a half years ago, the leader of the resistance, Dr. Ciel, found me in an ancient laboratory. She woke me, pleading for my assistance but... I don't remember anything from the past. Whatever happened before Ciel woke me up is beyond me." The Resistance fighter shrugged. "Does that answer your question?"

"A little too well…" Zero replied, his face unreadable. "But how did you talk to X if you've forgotten everything?"

"...Do you know what a Cyber Elf is?" the other blonde said finally.

Bass nodded. "Yeah, to some degree."

"Well, only moments after I awoke, Ciel and I were confronted by one of Neo Arcadia's Golem robots. I was unarmed, so I used a pistol from a dead Resistance reploid to defend myself, but partway through the fight a Cyber Elf appeared and gave me my Z-saber, telling me to save Ciel." He glanced over at the saber, now lying in X's lap. "I later found out that the Cyber Elf was actually the real Mega Man X. He helped me bring down Copy X." An odd look of relief spread over X and Zero's faces as the future Zero spoke. "He then went into a period of hibernation to rest from everything that had happened to him. Recently... he re-emerged to help me fight the second Copy X and to combat Weil's first major plot."

"So... where's he now, then?" asked Bass.

The other Zero shook his head. "After that battle, he said that the forces that held him to this world were growing weak, and he's since vanished again… I doubt he's ever coming back. What he described was basically his death." X's face darkened again, but not as deeply as it had previously.

"How'd he become a Cyber Elf in the first place?" Blues asked.

"Well, that's…" Zero started, but he abruptly cut himself off. Rock could've sworn he heard a light beeping sound. His thoughts were confirmed when Zero put two fingers to the side of his helmet. "Zero here. What happened to radio silence?" Zero's eyes suddenly widened. "What do you mean, a _division?_" His face hardened. "They're sending _that_ many troops out here? How close are they?" He paused. "There's no way I can take that on alone. I couldn't agree more about the evac. Ciel, prepare a transfer for…" He paused, and looked at each of the others quickly. Rock could tell he was hoping what he was about to say wouldn't be a mistake. "...six." Another pause. "Yes, six. …And keep unauthorized personnel out of the command room. I'll meet you in your lab. …Things have just gotten a lot more complicated. I'll explain when I get back. Zero out." He removed his fingers from the side of his helmet.

"A division?" Rock asked. "How many soldiers is that?"

"Too many," said Bass, folding his arms.

The other Zero nodded. "...Just what did you all do to attract their attention?"

"Existed, I think…" X replied, nonchalantly. "And they're coming here?"

He nodded. "In about two minutes."

"Wonderful," Zero replied.

"Well, if that's the case…" X trailed off, walking over to the future Zero. "Here, you'll need these back." He tensed as he spoke, hoping he wasn't about to make a huge mistake himself, then handed over the warrior's Z-saber and gun. "I trust you, Zero."

Zero nodded, and took his weapons back slowly. He holstered both weapons immediately, then looked off towards the city through a crack in the ruined walls. "I don't see them coming yet… but they'll be here."

Rock looked up at the rapidly darkening sky, listening until he heard the unmistakable whine of approaching Neo Arcadian aircraft in the distance. He stood up, stiffening noticeably, and armed his Mega Buster. Glancing to the side, he saw Bass had already done the same. Seconds slowly ticked away as the noise grew louder.

One of the dropships then flew directly overhead. Rock heard the engines slow, and he gritted his teeth. This was it, the first of the many that would arrive. However, before he could begin charging his weapon, the future Zero disappeared in a column of light. Turning, he saw Blues and X vanish next, and then felt his own body dissolve as his molecules drifted skyward and to parts unknown.

------

He solidified again in a large room, reminiscent of the control room of 21XX's Maverick Hunter HQ. In front of him was a set of large monitors, each screen showing various holograms of sections of Neo Arcadia. The sounds of computers beeping and whirring permeated the room. Looking around, the only people he saw in the room were his friends, and two female Reploids sitting in raised chairs, typing ceaselessly on keyboards in front of them. Rather surprised, he ended up taking a step backward into Blues. Before Rock could apologize, the future Zero motioned for them to follow him. He led them out of the room quickly, without talking to either of the reploids in the room.

The Resistance fighter led them down a corridor, lit by overhead fluorescent lights. The walls were metallic and sparse; little effort had been given to ornamentation. Rock supposed that living in hiding left no time or energy for building anything that wasn't strictly functional. Each door that branched away looked exactly like the one before.

The hallway ended, and the blonde warrior halted before the final door. His fingers flew over a small keypad to the left of it. A light above the portal turned blue, and the two metal halves split apart to give him entry.

The room beyond was furnished as a laboratory. The walls were the same metallic grey as that of the hallway, but there were various lab tables and computer consoles and a large tank of green liquid in one corner. Near the tank and in the most brightly lit part of the room was another computer on a large metal desk. A young woman was bent over the surface, sketching something onto a large sheet of blueprint paper. She was completely absorbed in her work, blonde hair cascading from her high ponytail and over her shoulders and back.

The future Zero walked up to her, but she seemed not to have noticed the sound of the door or his approaching footsteps. Reaching out with one gloved hand, he tapped her on the shoulder. "Ciel?"

The woman jumped several inches, spinning around in the chair. Now Rock could see her more clearly. She wore mostly pink; a pink top and matching skirt, with a black jumpsuit similar to those that reploids of this era wore underneath. Her hair was pulled up with a white metallic device that seemed to double as a headset. However, though she dressed very much like a reploid, Rock could tell that she was human. Her reaction did not have the fluidity of motion that all robots possessed.

"Zero!" she exclaimed, now sounding happy rather than surprised. "You're safe! I didn't hear you come in..."

"You were busy," the other Zero said, shrugging.

Ciel nodded, a faint pink tinge creeping into her cheeks. "Yes, but I should have been paying more attention, especially since I knew you were on your way."

"It's fine," he replied.

"You said you wanted to see me when you got back?" the young woman said, looking up at him and frowning. "You didn't get hurt, did you? And what was that about a transport for six, anyway?"

"No, I'm fine," Zero assured her. "And the other thing is... what I need to talk about."

"What do you..." She suddenly seemed to notice the others lurking over her friend's shoulder. "Zero, who are they?"

"They're the reason the Pantheons were so active," Zero replied.

Ciel stood up, pushing the chair back towards her desk with her foot before stepping forward. "You're on the run from Neo Arcadia, then? It's nice to..." Her voice trailed off, her eyes suddenly focusing on X and Zero, who stood beside one another. "What... who... X?"

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Ciel," X replied evenly.

Ciel stared at him. "What... what is going on?" She turned to her Zero, wide-eyed. "Zero?"

"It's... rather unbelievable," the other Zero replied carefully, "but... this is the real Mega Man X."

"What?" Ciel shook her head. "But... that's not possible..."

"It's a complicated story, but it's true," X replied. "I'm X, and this is my friend Zero." He nodded towards the blonde man at his side. Ciel's eyes flickered from him to her own Zero, the blue orbs growing even more confused.

"Would someone please explain?" she demanded.

"They're time-travelers, Ciel," the future Zero said heavily.

"Time... travelers?" Ciel repeated, with disbelief.

"Yes ma'am," Rock piped up. "My name's Mega Man. And I come from 20XX! X is my little brother."

"Little... brother?" Ciel said faintly. "_20XX?_"

Blues put a hand on his brother's shoulder. "That's enough, Rock," he said gently. "I think you're scaring her."

The young scientist looked dazed. "Zero... how... how is this possible?" she asked, turning to her friend, imploring him for a logical answer.

Zero paused. "They've proven it's the truth, but I don't know the details," he said. "I've been waiting to hear that myself."

"It's... a bit of a long story," X said.

Blues nodded. "To make it simple... my brother Mega Man, Bass, and I come from the dawn of robotics, the year 20XX... There's a man in our time named Dr. Wily, who has repeatedly tried to take over the world with his robots. He built a new device that malfunctioned and accidentally sent the three of us through time to 21XX, where we met X and Zero." He gestured towards the two Hunters.

"The doctor then managed to team up with that century's most wanted man, a Maverick named Sigma," Rock continued. "Our creator, Dr. Light, built us a time machine of our own to try and stop Wily before he messes up the space/time continuum too much."

"...Dr. Light?" said Ciel, blinking. "The famous roboticist? The one who built X?"

"Yup!" said Rock. "That's why he's our little brother!"

Ciel frowned, studying him. "...You're Mega Man, X's predecessor?"

"Uh-huh," Rock replied. "You can call me Rock, though. Mega Man is more of a battle title."

She nodded, and turned to Blues. "...And what is your name, then?"

"Proto Man," he replied. "But call me Blues."

"_Proto_ Man?" Ciel repeated, her eyes narrowing. "...Then... you wouldn't happen to be..."

"I'm the first sentient robot ever built," he said, answering her implied question.

"Amazing..." Ciel breathed, staring at Blues with an expression similar to that of a researcher observing a rare captured specimen. She circled around him, looking thoughtful. Blues turned to follow her, looking a bit nervous. "This is fascinating..." Ciel declared finally, halting and peering at his face, her left hand on her chin. "You're dated compared to the robots of this time period... yet you're amazingly well constructed..."

"Um... thanks?" Blues said warily.

"Dr. Light was truly as great a genius as history says..." Ciel continued, her eyes alight with scientific curiosity. "Oh, if only I could... say, would it be possible for me to run a few tests on you? This is truly an amazing opportunity and I—"

"No," he said firmly.

Ciel blinked, then looked abashed. "Oh... I'm sorry if I offended you..." she said apologetically. "I've been getting carried away. Please, do forgive me."

Blues smiled at her. "I understand completely, Miss Ciel. It's nothing personal. But, I don't allow anyone to pry inside my head."

"Yeah. That's true," said Rock, nodding. "Like the magazine incident..."

The red robot gave his brother a withering look. "Rock, please keep quiet."

"So you two are Dr. Light's first creations..." Ciel said, still sounding awed. Then she turned to look at Bass, who lurked at the back of the little group. "And who are you? Blues called you... Bass?"

Bass nodded reluctantly. "Bass was built by Dr. Wily," Rock explained, "but he's decided to help us out now."

"I see..."

"Miss Ciel," said X. The young scientist turned to look at him, several strange emotions swirling in her eyes. "You're probably wondering why we've come to this era..."

"Well, yes," Ciel admitted. "You said you were following some enemies of yours?"

X nodded. "We have reason to believe that Wily and Sigma are somewhere in your era, probably in search of futuristic weapons and technology."

"They intend to use anything they recover to give them an advantage in the past," said Blues. "That, obviously, would alter history... probably for the worse."

Ciel nodded, looking thoughtful. "That is true..."

"But if these people are from the past," the other Zero said, causing the rest of the group to turn towards him, "they can't be that powerful, comparatively. If they try to start trouble, I'm sure the Hunters of Neo Arcadia will handle them."

"Zero, Sigma has caused the deaths of tens of thousands of innocent humans and reploids over the past decade," X said softly. "He very dangerous, and will not be deterred by someone unprepared for him. If he does show up, Zero and I need to be able to confront him. He's our problem. We'll deal with him."

"There are more things out there that'd like to kill you than Sigma, though," said the other Zero, shaking his head. "Especially if you're walking around with a version of me."

"Well, X can make those drones listen to him..." Zero said.

"The Pantheons obey you?" Ciel asked, turning to the blue Hunter questioningly.

X nodded, then gave a brief summary of everything that had occurred since they first arrived in 22XX. The young scientist and the future warrior listened intently.

"Well, it is fortunate that the Pantheons still obey X's commands," Ciel said finally. "But it won't take long for Neo Arcadia to discover that there's someone impersonating their former leader. I wouldn't count on that ability to keep you out of danger."

"Aw, that's too bad," said Rock. "It was cool watching X ordering all those drones around!"

Bass scowled. "Mega Man, if you don't have anything intelligent to say, then don't speak at all."

"Now, Bass," said Blues patiently, "if he did that, he'd never get to talk at all."

Bass laughed, and Rock pouted. "You're mean, Blues..." he said plaintively.

Blues smiled at him. "I'm your brother. It's my job."

Ciel watched the exchange with an amused expression. X swiftly cut in before things got out of hand. "Well, since you think wandering on our own isn't a good idea," he said, and the two Resistance members turned back to him, "is there any way you can assist us in locating Sigma and Wily?"

Ciel nodded. "Of course, we'll help you however we can. Those two will be as much a danger to us as they are to you, if they are fiddling with time... But it will take a while for us to conduct a search. In the meantime, we'll make rooms available for you. Please, make yourselves at home."

"Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Ciel," X said, smiling at her.

"It's the least we can do," she replied. "But X, you may want to be careful."

He blinked. "What do you mean?"

"We spent years struggling against your copies..." Ciel explained. "Some members of the Resistance probably won't trust you..."

"We'll just tell them he's harmless," said Bass, shrugging.

Ciel smiled, but shook her head. "I'm not sure everyone will give up their mistrust so easily, especially without learning about the apparent... time travel."

"Then he can take off his helmet," Zero suggested. "No one seems to recognize him without it."

X reached up and took off the metal object. Ciel studied him, then nodded. "I think you're right. It's the armor that's recognizable, more than the face. And your armor is designed differently from Copy X's anyway."

"If you say so," said X.

Ciel nodded. "I think you'll be all right... but still. Zero, could you make sure everything goes smoothly?"

"Of cour—" both Zeros began. Then they broke off simultaneously, glaring at one another.

"Not you, Zero," said Ciel. "I was speaking to Zero..." She stopped, and frowned. "Oh, dear."

"Which one of... she was talking to me!" both Zeros exclaimed.

Blues, chucked, watching the irate twins. "That's amusing..."

"No, it's not!" they replied, turning their glares on him.

X sighed. "...This is going to become a problem."

"All right, all right!" Rock held up his hands, stepping between the two blonde warriors. "We need new names here!"

"What?" the pair asked together. The past Zero scowled at his duplicate, then said, "Why can't we just both stay as Zero?"

"Because it's way too confusing!" Rock replied. "Hmm..." He pondered for a moment. Then his eyes lit up. "I know! We can call the future Zero just 'Z'!"

"Z?" Bass scoffed. "That's a letter, not a name! ... er... no offense, X," he added, after the blue Hunter gave him an odd look.

"None taken, I guess..." he replied.

"Let's just call them Zero and Zero II," Blues suggested. "It sounds decent enough."

"I call 'Zero,'" both Zeros proclaimed at once.

Blues put a hand to his temple. "The Zero from this time comes later, so he's Zero II."

"Hah!" Zero said, smirking at his future version. The other blonde frowned.

"I'm sorry, but it is only fair," Ciel said, looking as though she was attempting not to laugh at her friend's predicament. "He did come first."

"...Fine," Zero II said, seemingly resigned to his new nickname.

Ciel put a hand on the back of her chair, looking around at the group. "Well, if that's settled, then... it's getting rather late. I'm sure you all are tired."

"Yeah, it's been an exhausting day," X agreed.

"Zero _II_ can show you to you your rooms, then," Ciel said, smiling at the blonde warrior. His eyes narrowed slightly, but Rock could tell he didn't really mind the name.

"Thank you again, Miss Ciel," said Blues politely.

"It's my pleasure," she assured him. "Hopefully we'll have some information for you by the morning. Sleep well, all of you."

"This way," Zero II said, and motioned to the door. The group followed him outside, leaving Ciel to her work.

---

Zero II led them through the hallways to an elevator, down one floor, and then down another hallway to a pair of adjacent rooms. They were both rather small, each containing a pair of metal bunk beds. The group conferred briefly and eventually decided that Bass and Zero would take one room while the Light brothers took the other.

It was late and everyone was exhausted, so they bid goodnight to Zero II at the door. He nodded and told them he would come by in the morning to see how they were doing, as well as where the hookups were so they could recharge as they slept. Rock found this last bit of information to be rather odd, but he didn't comment on it. The blonde warrior finally left, the doors sliding shut behind him and leaving the three brothers alone in their room.

"I call top bunk!" Rock said immediately, dashing over to the nearest bed and climbing the ladder. Blues shook his head but walked to the opposite bunk, claiming its top bunk as his own. X contented himself with the bed underneath Rock's.

"I don't understand what Zero II meant by recharging hookups, though," Rock said, hanging his head over the edge to peer upside-down at X. "And he didn't offer us dinner, either... I'm hungry."

"Rock, I think that's what he _was _doing," X replied. "I'm not sure the reploids here get very much to eat. Food is probably difficult to obtain when you're a group of guerilla fighters... most likely they can't find enough to keep them running efficiently without recharging."

Rock made a face. "That doesn't sound fun. And I don't really want to spend all night with a wire in my arm..."

"Well, considering we don't have any food with us, there isn't much else we can do," X said evenly. "We can find out more tomorrow. For now, just do as Zero II said. You want to have enough energy to stop Wily, right?"

"I guess..." Rock said, frowning but knowing there wasn't anything he or X could do to change things.

X found some sleeping clothes in the drawer of one of the small metal wardrobes that stood along one wall. Only one pair was blue and X handed it to Rock after the boy gave him pleading eyes. The clothing was slightly too big, but for borrowed pajamas, it wasn't too bad. X found a red pair for Blues and a green pair for himself.

They changed in silence, X and Blues feeling exhausted after their long day. Rock, however, was still full of energy, despite his complaints about hunger. He sat cross-legged on his bed and beamed at the other two.

"This's kinda like a sleepover, isn't it?" Rock said cheerily. Blues and X gave each other sideways glances. "We should sing songs! Or play Truth or Dare! Or tell ghost stories! I know a good one about a robotic ghost hamster who—"

"Rock, X and I are very tired," Blues interrupted. "I think we'd both just like to go to sleep, and you need your rest too."

"You guys are boring," Rock said huffily, slumping over onto the mattress.

"Some other time, maybe," X suggested gently.

Rock sighed and pulled the covers over him. "Goodnight, then."

X's eyes softened, hearing the disappointment in his brother's voice. He stood up and walked over to the bed, then reached through the bars and gently ruffled Rock's hair. "How about I tell a short bedtime story, then?" he suggested.

"...Okay," Rock agreed. X smiled, and then pulled a chair over. Rock quickly climbed down from his bunk and sat on X's bed, swinging his legs idly. Blues, looking amused at the whole situation, took a seat beside him.

X took a deep breath, looked at his audience, and began speaking in a resonant tone. "Once upon a time..."

"Did you really have to start it off that way, X?" Blues cut in, a smirk visible on his face. "It's been done."

X shot a glare at Blues, then continued, ignoring his older brother's snide comment. "Once upon a time there was a great conflict that erupted in a far away land..."

"Was it the Rebellion against the Empire?" Blues suggested.

"That was a far away galaxy, not a land, Blues," Rock answered.

"...Exactly, Rock," X said. "This was a land called... um..."

"Oz?"

"No, Blues. Not Oz," X said, a muscle in his temple beginning to twitch. "Are you going to let me tell the story or not?"

Rock nodded. "Yeah, if you keep interrupting him, he might go Wicked Witch on you."

"Well, the name really isn't important," X continued, before Blues could reply. "Anyway, in a small cottage in the middle of the war torn land lived a young boy named..." Blues opened his mouth, but X cut him off quickly, "—Simon."

Blues made a noise that resembled a chuckle, but X ignored him and moved on. "Simon was a brave lad, but he knew he alone could not end the war."

"Of course not," said Blues. "He's some kid from some cottage in the middle of nowhere."

X narrowed his eyes. "Do you enjoy being annoying, Blues?"

The elder robot shrugged. "It's a hobby," he said with a smirk.

"Get on with the story!" Rock prodded.

X obliged him. "So Simon thought for awhile about what the whole conflict was all about, and what had started it."

"Was Simon's middle name X?" Blues wondered.

"Blues!" Rock exclaimed.

"Don't worry about it, Rock," said the blue Hunter, shaking his head. "He's no worse than Zero."

"...Okay..." Rock shot a final glare at Blues, but then turned back to the storyteller. "What happened next, then?"

"Simon obviously recruits a bunch of motley teenagers with swords, staves, and magic to save the day," Blues answered.

"It wasn't quite that simple," X replied, exasperated. "The area all around Simon's house had been turned into a desolate wasteland by the leader of the enemy army, the black dragon Irontongue."

"...And he left the one house standing?"

"Um...Simon had magic... or something?" X said. Blues raised an eyebrow, and X frowned at him. "...It just happened, okay? Don't think too much."

"I never thought I'd hear you say that," Blues said, amused. X frowned more deeply.

"Maybe Irontongue got bored?" Rock suggested, trying to defuse the situation.

"We'll go with that," said X. "Anyway... so Simon set out across the wasteland to obtain the aid of the oracle who lived near the faraway mountains." He paused, waiting for Blues to interject, but surprisingly, he didn't. "The journey was long and arduous, but he eventually reached his destination."

"What did he find?" Rock asked eagerly.

Blues shrugged. "The oracle was probably some sort of fairy and she gives him a magic sword..."

X sighed. "Fine, Blues, we'll listen to you this time."

Blues smirked. "I wouldn't want to be accused of being a scene-stealer. You go ahead."

X rolled his eyes. "Okay... Well then, the oracle is a mermaid and she gives him an evil-slaying _axe_."

"And what did the mermaid tell him?" said Rock, impatient for the story to continue.

"That he needed to kill the dragon, obviously," said Blues.

"...Well, yeah," said Rock. "But I mean... didn't she have sage advice for him?"

"Um..." said X, thinking, "...well... no, she didn't."

Rock frowned. "What kind of oracle is that?"

"That's what he asked her," said X, nodding. "And she simply told him that the wisest seek answers within themselves."

"And that's not sage advice?"

"As far as oracles go, it's pretty cop-out, Rock," Blues replied.

Rock ignored him. "So what did Simon do then?"

"Simon took hold of the axe," X continued, "but before he left the oracle's dwelling, he sat down to plan his attack on Irontongue."

"That's easy," interrupted Blues, shrugging. "He runs up to chop off its head, then gets burnt to a crisp."

"That's why Simon sat down to think, Blues," X said, sounding forcedly patient. "He knew attacking head on would get him killed. And he learned that if he continued working alone, he might die before he made it to the dragon."

"So now he gathers the group of motley magic and sword wielding teenagers?" asked Rock.

X sighed. "...Yes, now he gathers the teenagers."

"Seems awfully convenient that he could find so many kids who could be a threat to this dragon in a desolate war-torn land..." Blues mused.

X narrowed his eyes. "It's a story, Blues, deal with it."

"You can't just leave plotholes like that," Blues replied sagely. "Doesn't anyone pay attention to their own continuity anymore?"

"Okay..." X said, giving Rock a look that said, 'I pity you for having put up with him for so many years.' "Well, Simon recruited all the best sorcerers and swordfighters still living in the land, and marched towards the dragon's lair. The dragon and his army flew out to meet them, but the sorcerers protected Simon and the others from their flames with magical shields."

"Ooh..." said Rock, sounding impressed.

X nodded. "Simon and his allies eventually pushed through Irontongue's army and reached his stronghold."

"Then what?" said Rock eagerly, leaning forward as though the story would continue faster if he were closer to the storyteller.

"Then there was a mighty battle," said X. He was smiling now, and looked much more engaged in the tale. "Simon dashed at the dragon but one swipe of the beast's tail sent the axe spinning from his grasp. All hope seemed lost. Irontongue bore down upon him, teeth bared, eyes glinting with fury..."

"Then Zero appeared and cut off the dragon's head with his mighty Z-saber," said a disgruntled voice. The three brothers looked up to see the blonde Hunter standing in the doorway, wearing bright pink teddy-bear print pajamas. His hair was loose from its usual ponytail and it looked exceedingly odd, hanging around him like a yellow cape. "And then he told everyone to please shut up and go to bed. The wall is way too thin."

"Zero... why are you wearing those?" said Rock, eyeing the flamboyant apparel. "...Is that all there was?"

"Maybe," said Zero irritably. "Now go to bed, or I'll cut off all of your heads as well. I'm not joking!" Then he turned and stalked out of the room, his hair narrowly avoiding being caught as the door hissed shut.

"I think we'd better listen to him," X said in a low voice.

"That'd be wise," Blues agreed.

"Aww... but we didn't even hear the moral of the story!" Rock whined.

"Don't play with matches," Blues replied. "Now go to bed, Rocky."

The boys retreated to their respective bunks and X switched out the lights. Rock lay awake for a while, his eyes barely registering the outline of Blues' bed in the dim thread of light seeping in from the hall. Even though he was in a foreign world two hundred years from home, he couldn't help feeling safe and secure knowing that his brothers were only a few feet away. For all their quirks, Rock couldn't have wished for a better family.

His eyelids began to droop, the stress of the day's events finally catching up with him. He slowly drifted to sleep, lulled with visions of magic axes and mermaids and himself and his brothers in shining armor, questing to slay the dragon together.

* * *


	17. The Trusted

_AUTHOR'S NOTE: A little bit of backstory..._

Since a few reviewers have had questions about our timeline, I decided to write out a brief guide of some of the dates and figures we have set up for _Epilogue._ As you know, we are attempting to make this story fit in with as much of Capcom's Mega Man canon as possible; but considering their propensity for making their own games contradict each other, we did unfortunately have to change a few things to keep history making sense. The largest, and only really important change is pushing the date of Command Mission back into 21XX. We have many reasons for this which I'm not going to get into here but suffice it to say it saves a lot of headaches for us.

Timeline 

_200X - _Dr. Light and Dr. Wily decide to make robots. They build Blues; something happens and he runs away. They make more robots. Wily goes nuts and tries to take over the world. Rock becomes Mega Man to stop him, and the endless cycle of fighting begins._ Epilogue_ does not follow the events, personalities, etc. laid out in Mega Man Powered Up.

_20XX_ – At the start of _Epilogue_, it has been about twelve years since the Wily Wars first began and a month or so after the events of Mega Man & Bass. The events of all eight games, as well as Power Fighters and Power Battles, also occurred. The Gameboy games are not a part of _Epilogue'_s history because they contradict most of the mainstream games.

_Between 20XX and 21XX - _At some point, the Cataclysm occurs. The earth becomes a desolate polluted wasteland. About a hundred years pass from this point until Dr. Cain discovers X in a capsule. A year passes before Dr. Cain decides to build robots based on X's design, calling them reploids. A year after that, incidents of berserk reploids and mechaniloids become enough of a problem that Dr. Cain forms the Maverick Hunters to combat them. About a year after _that_, Sigma discovers Zero, and makes him a Hunter as well. He rises through the ranks, becoming X's mentor when he decides to join. Sigma begins to act strangely; eventually, he leads a revolt. The Maverick Rebellion has begun._ Epilogue _does not completely conform to the canon of Maverick Hunter X, mostly because MHX doesn't conform to the canon of the rest of the series. Therefore, major events occurred according to the conventional game timeline. However, we are attempting to keep as much of the backstory given in the game manual as we can.

_21XX_ – X and Zero's era is set post X8 and pre Command Mission, sixteen years after Dr. Cain first found X. As stated earlier, Command Mission occurs probably a few years after this, but is not terribly important to our story.

_Between 21XX and 22XX - _Sometime in this timeframe, the Elf Wars occur; we are tentatively placing this event at around 10-15 years post X8. Whatever parts of the planet were left after the Cataclysm are destroyed. After that comes a hundred years of chaos, during which Neo Arcadia eventually arises as the only world city. Eventually, Ciel is born and during her youth, creates Copy X. Copy X perverts the ancient X's ideals and begins to heavily persecute reploids, leading into the events we all know from the games.

_22XX_ – Our heroes' entry into 22XX occurs not long after the conclusion of Zero 3. Events of the story will show the buildup towards the beginning of Zero 4.

_Between 20XX and the Far Future- _At some point, the world floods and the Master System is developed. Earth, now called Terra, becomes a mostly peaceful ocean dotted by islands.

_Far Future_ – The Legends era portion of the story will be set several months after Legends 2.

Ages of Characters 

_Classic Characters_

Rock — physically 13, actual age 12  
Blues — physically 18, actual age 15  
Bass — physically 16, actual age 3  
Roll — physically 13, actual age 12  
Dr. Light — age 60  
Dr. Wily — age 57

_X Series Characters _

X — physically 21, actual age 16  
Zero — physically 23, actual age 13  
Axl — physically 17, actual age 4  
Alia — physically 21, actual age 8 1/2

_Zero Series Characters _

Zero II — physically 23, actual age 2 1/2 (?)  
Ciel — age 23  
Alouette — physically 10, actual age 3 1/2  
Harpuia — physically 21, actual age 4 1/2  
Leviathan — physically 19, actual age 4 1/2  
Fefnir — physically 20, actual age 4 1/2

_Legends Characters _

Trigger — age 16  
Roll Caskett — age 16  
Barrell Caskett — age 62  
Tron Bonne— age 16  
Tiesel Bonne— age 25

_(According to the Japanese sourcebook, Ciel is supposedly 14. This, in Triad's and my opinion, is completely ludicrous. There is no possible way, even though she is an amazing genius, that she could have done everything she has done if she is only now 14. Therefore, we have given her an age we think is more plausible.)_

When the story ends, I will move all this information to an addendum in the final chapter; however, until that time, it will remain here as a resource.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

_The Trusted_

---------------------------------

It was impossible to tell time in the windowless apartment, but Rock awoke at an hour his internal chronometer told him was morning. Looking across the room, he saw that Blues still appeared to be asleep, but the rustling from the bed below and the fact that the lights had been turned on to a dim setting indicated that X at least was already up.

X stood up after hearing his brother awaken, leaning his elbows on the side of the bed and smiling at the young robot. The reploid's hair was extremely messy, one side flattened by his pillow while the other was wildly tangled, falling into his eyes. Rock tried not to giggle.

"How're you feeling, Rock?" the Hunter asked, as the little boy rubbed his eyes and tugged off the cable that had been helping to replenish his power during the night. It was a new design that Rock appreciated, with sensors that merely wrapped around the arm and sent energy in through the synthskin, rather than requiring a painful plug to be inserted directly into his inner circuitry.

"I feel completely refreshed!" he replied, sounding somewhat surprised. Then his stomach growled loudly, and he made a face. "But I'm still hungry."

"You'll get used to it," X assured him. "The feeling will go away after a while when your body realizes it has enough energy."

"It'd better," Rock grumbled. "And you might want to comb your hair, you have a really bad case of bed-head."

X's cheeks turned slightly red and he hastily ran his fingers through his dark locks. "Your hair's pretty messy yourself, you know," he defended. Rock just stuck out his tongue. X returned the gesture cheekily, then glanced over at the opposite bed. "...Anyway, I'd probably better wake Blues..."

"Don't touch him, he'll hit you," Rock warned.

X raised an eyebrow. "Speaking from experience?"

Rock nodded. "He fell asleep on the couch once, and I made the mistake of poking him... I ended up having to go fight Bass later that day with a black eye. He wouldn't stop laughing at me."

"Blues, or Bass?"

"Both of them."

Their voices were getting louder, but Blues still slept through the noise. Finally, X approached the bed, stopping out of range of his brother's fists. "Time to get up!" he said, loudly. There was no response. "Blues?"

"He can really sleep soundly when he wants to," Rock observed, as X frowned and tried to think of the best way to approach the older boy.

"Well, I'll go wake up Zero, then," X said finally. "I know he won't kill me for it, right away at least. Blues can wake up when he feels like it."

Rock agreed to this, and hopped down from the bed to start getting dressed. X, who had already changed out of his pajamas before Rock had awoken, strapped on his remaining pieces of armor and wandered over to Zero and Bass' room.

As expected, the blonde and the purple-haired boy were still sound asleep. Zero did not remain so for long, as X gave him a friendly shove off the bed. He landed on the floor in a tangle of sheets, hair, and pink pajamas.

"Hey!" Zero yelled grumpily, trying to dislodge himself from the blankets. "What was that for?"

"Just be thankful you were on the bottom bunk," X replied cheerfully, yanking the pillow away before Zero could obtain it and resume his napping on the floor.

"Whatever," Zero said. There was a slight snicker from Bass' bunk. The boy had obviously been awakened by the commotion. Zero calmly reached over and tugged on the sheets, catapulting his brother onto the floor as well.

"You know, you should keep those pajamas, Zero," X teased, as Bass growled and the blonde managed to stand up. "They'll be a hit with your fangirls."

"Ha ha. No way," Zero replied dully. "But that's another thing... I think we should start packing supplies before we time-jump all over the universe... the next place we go might not have conveniently friendly locals."

"It'd be kind of hard to fight Mavericks while carrying duffel bags," X said.

"Well, I'm not wearing these pajamas any more," Zero said firmly.

"You're going to be wearing them as long as we're spending the night here," said Bass, as he picked himself up off the floor and threw the sheets back onto the bed. "None of us need to have our eyes burned out by you wandering around naked."

"You're extremely witty," Zero grumbled, and started gathering his armor to change.

Satisfied that the two were sufficiently awake to leave unattended, X walked back to his own room. He found Rock fully dressed now, but Blues still remained asleep, the blankets he had drawn up over his head slowly rising and falling as he breathed. "Has he moved at all?" X asked.

Rock shook his head. "Nope, he's out cold. Maybe we should try poking him with something..."

"You first," said X. Rock rolled his eyes, then looked around the room. He couldn't find anything long and pointy so he picked up Blues' shield instead, maneuvering it under the guardrail of the bunk bed to poke into the older boy's side. Blues did not stir.

X frowned. "I thought he had killer reflexes?"

"He normally does," Rock said, confused himself. "He must be really tired..."

"He still hasn't woken up," X said. "Now what?"

"I don't know..."

They both turned as the door opened. "Well then, what's the plan for today?" Zero asked, as he sauntered into the room, armor in place. Bass followed a few steps behind.

"First is to wake up Blues," said X, pointing at the unmoving lump in the top bunk.

"Mr. Mysterious is the last one up?" Zero said, smirking. "Well, I can fix that..."

"Wait, Zero!" Rock said, but Zero had already removed the guardrail from the side of the bed. A moment later, the blonde scooped up the sleeping robot from his cocoon of blankets. The power cable ripped away from Blues' arm and the boy awoke immediately, startled by his sudden forced removal from the bed. One of his arms shot up instinctively and hit Zero squarely on the chin.

"Whoa, kid," Zero said, tossing Blues away from him and onto X's vacated bottom bunk, then rubbing his bruised chin. "It's just me."

The elder robot put up a hand to shield his eyes. "What the hell, Zero?" he said, irately. "Can't you wake me up like a normal person?"

"We tried," said X. "Numerous times."

"Well, sorry," said Blues, grumbling. "Can someone hand me my sunglasses?"

"Why were you sleeping so late, anyway?" Rock asked, while X retrieved the civilian sunglasses Blues kept with him from their place on the ledge beside the bed.

Blues slipped the glasses on. "I was tired. I think all this time travel is messing with my internal clock…"

"I'm feeling fine," Rock said, frowning.

"Well, I'm older than you," Blues replied shortly. He then began gathering his armor, muttering about blonde idiots with no respect for personal space.

The group was finally dressed and ready by the time there came a knocking on the door. A moment later, Zero II stuck his head inside.

"You're awake," he observed.

"Good morning, Zero II," said Rock cheerfully, ignoring Blues' continued muttering as he perfected the knot of his scarf.

"X, Ciel has asked to see you," the Resistance warrior replied, without preamble. "The rest of you are free to do what you want."

"Has nothing about Sigma or Wily turned up, then?" X asked.

Zero II shook his head. "Not yet. X, if you're ready, come with me..." He looked around at the others. "As for the rest... the base is aware of you. All they know is that you're visitors. I'd advise you to keep it that way."

Zero II turned to leave. X, after giving a glance to Zero, followed him out the door.

"Not too friendly, is he?" Blues observed, as soon as the door was closed and their conversation was private.

"Maybe he's just like that," Rock said, shrugging. "He never seems to talk much, anyway."

"Mega Man, don't be naïve," Bass said, snorting derisively. He collapsed onto X's bed, folding his arms behind his head. "It's obvious that he doesn't trust us."

"What do you mean?" Rock said, confused. "X proved that we are who we said we are… And he seemed to believe us. Ciel did anyway. Besides, Zero II's… well, Zero!"

"Even though they may accept we're from the past... they're guerrilla fighters," Blues said, nodding to Bass. "They trust no one but themselves. We haven't been here long enough yet."

Bass nodded. "Yeah. And I'll bet you anything that when Zero II said 'the base is aware of you' he meant 'they'll be making sure you aren't spies.' He's not stupid… he wouldn't let strangers just wander where they please."

Rock sighed. He still didn't understand why Zero II would not trust them, but he supposed he couldn't really blame him. Considering the state of the current era, trust was not something that flowed freely.

"And I'm not too sure about him being me," Zero added quietly.

The others turned to look at him. Rock frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He said he had amnesia," Zero explained, shrugging.

"So?"

"So," said Zero, walking over to Bass and shoving his legs off the bed so he could sit beside him, "He's a robot. With amnesia. Unlike with humans, there's not many things that could cause that… and most involve complete personality wipes."

"And that'd mean… that the original person is probably dead," Blues finished.

"Yeah, exactly." Zero nodded, his hair swishing over the blankets. "Basically, if that's what happened, the person walking around in my body now, Zero II, is not me. He may have the same core programming, and so share the same basic traits... but the memories, the experiences, and the soul... are different."

Blues smiled slightly. "Well said, Zero."

He smirked. "I'll bet you thought I never had it in me."

"So… then he's not really you?" Rock asked.

Zero shrugged. "Since we don't know what happened exactly, it's hard to tell… it's possible he's still me. I've had experience with amnesia before... of a different nature, but... anyway, you already know that I've made it through a lot of things that should've killed me. He could still have my soul, and my memories buried somewhere." He shrugged, and shook his head. "But, either way, Zero II is no longer _only_ me. Even if we have the same soul, his experiences are different from mine. He knows only his programming and what's happened to him since he was activated by Ciel. What he's gone through since then is bound to have brought out a slightly different personality."

"Slightly is an understatement," Bass said.

"Well, we really don't know him that well yet," said Blues, "but I'm still inclined to agree."

"He's so quiet and impersonal," Zero said, scowling. "And he's a jerk. I mean, I'm a jerk too, but not like he is. And he's walking around with my face… it's just plain creepy. I never want to be like that."

"Well, like Blues said, we don't really know him that well," Rock pointed out. "And he doesn't know us. I'm sure he'll be nicer when he feels more comfortable around us."

"Maybe," Zero said, shrugging. He was still looking concerned, however, despite his obvious attempts to act casual, and Rock thought it was probably time to change the subject.

Blues seemed to agree. He stood up, brushing his scarf back over his shoulder. "Well, I'm going to go wander around for a bit," he said. "Don't kill each other before I get back."

"Whatever, old man," Bass replied, and Blues smiled slightly and walked out the door.

The others sat, staring rather blankly at one another for a few minutes. Finally, Rock sighed and stood up. "I'm going to go look around as well," he said, heading to the door. "See you later."

He left also. Bass looked over at Zero. "So what do we do now?"

Zero looked around the room, finally focusing on Blues' pillow, now lying on the floor after being dislodged from the bed along with its owner. "Pillow fight?"

"…You're on."

------

Zero II lead X back through the Resistance Base corridors towards Ciel's laboratory. The doors slid open as the two approached. Inside, X found most of the lights dimmed, save the few that brightly illuminated Ciel's desk area. The lab was slightly messier than yesterday, and there was a door X had not noticed before open at the other end of the room. Through it, he could catch a glimpse of an unmade bed, papers strewn across the floor.

Ciel was sitting in her lab chair, facing away from X and Zero II as they approached. She wore a pink dress very similar in style to the one she had worn yesterday, and seemed to be staring at a blank portion of the wall, or perhaps the glowing liquid tank. She did not turn to face them.

"Please, take a seat, X," she said, still looking at the wall. "And Zero, could you wait outside?" The blonde warrior had stopped beside a console, arms folded. He did not respond immediately, glancing from Ciel to X. Finally, he walked towards the exit, looking very reluctant. He gave X one last piercing look before stepping into the corridor. The door slid shut.

Silence fell. X looked around the room and spotted a chair a few paces away. He walked towards it and sat carefully, feeling strangely nervous. He had always been somewhat uncomfortable around humans, even those he knew well, like Dr. Cain. He supposed it was a product of his early years, as the only reploid in the world. During that time he had felt constantly pressured to prove himself a sentient, living being, an equal to humanity — even to those who seemed most excited by his existence. Though great strides had been made since then, there was still a constant aura of prejudice that colored the minds of humans he encountered even today. Only with Dr. Light, of all the humans he had met, had he truly felt free of the awkward mess of inter-species relations.

What worried X most was that though he knew not all humans believed reploids to be inferior, Dr. Ciel probably least of all, he could not stop the uneasy feeling. But he supposed that was the true insidious power of racism. It affected both sides of the equation. Not only were humans uncomfortable around reploids, but reploids were uncomfortable around humans. As long as this situation continued, X knew the cycle of mistrust, abuse, and war would continue as well. Looking at this future… it seemed his fears were not unfounded.

The silence continued for a few more moments. X shifted uncomfortably, wondering if she expected him to speak first. She was still staring at the wall. "X…" she began suddenly, "what's your favorite kind of soda?"

X raised his eyebrows, confused by the odd question. "Uh… I don't usually drink soda. There's this brand of fruit punch I usually buy…" He paused, cutting off the rambling line of thought. "Why are you asking me this?"

Her shoulders slumped slightly, and her gaze fell to the floor. "So… you really are Mega Man X."

Then he understood. It had been another test, like Zero II's question about Alia's bracelet. "Yes, I am," he replied. "But, I thought you believed us already."

"I did," Ciel said, still not looking at him. "But at the same time… I didn't want to. Time travel… We have so many problems already… and now to add this…"

"Miss Ciel, I apologize," X said, suddenly feeling slightly ashamed. Though he knew he had little choice in the matter, it was really not fair of him to be asking these people for help in solving his problems. "We shouldn't be imposing on you like this…"

The scientist shook her head. "No, X, don't." She finally swiveled the chair around to face him. "It's not your fault. It never has been."

X raised an eyebrow, curious. "What do you mean by that?"

She shook her head. "The copy mess… you know. X… I'm sorry you had to come here and find this situation…"

"It's… not very comforting," X admitted. "I always thought that the future would be a better place. We seemed to be making so much progress…"

"From what I know of history, you did, for a time," Ciel replied. "But then the Elf Wars changed everything."

"It's always wars that do it, isn't it," X said glumly. "Decades of work vanishing in an instant…"

Ciel nodded. "Yes… that does seem to be true."

"According to what the two reploids we met before told us, that war basically wiped out the planet," X said, folding his arms and shifting slightly in the chair. "Is it true that Neo Arcadia… is all that's left?"

"On this part of the planet, anyway," Ciel replied. "There are probably other cities somewhere in the world… but we aren't in contact with them. Around here, the city is basically the only place humans can survive."

"On that note, Miss Ciel," X asked suddenly, "the two reploids we met before… I'm afraid they won't last much longer without help. Do you think perhaps…"

"I've already set some Resistance members searching for them, after I heard your story yesterday," Ciel replied. "You said they were named Simone and Jean-Luc, correct? If they're still in the same area, we'll find them soon."

X nodded, relieved. "I'm glad. I was afraid our presence would just make things more difficult for them."

"Don't worry about them, X," she reassured him. "We'll make sure they're all right."

He smiled at her. "I'm sure they'll be very happy for that."

There was another slight pause. Finally, Ciel rose from her chair, walking a few paces away from it, her back to her guest. "You're probably… wondering why I called you here," she said quietly.

"Well… yes, somewhat," X replied. "It didn't sound like it was about Sigma or Wily… and I doubt you just wanted to confirm my identity."

"No…" Ciel said. "That was part of it, but… no. I called you here because… I want to apologize."

"Apologize? For what, Miss Ciel?" X asked, confused.

"Don't call me Miss," she said, shaking her head. "I don't deserve it… least of all from you."

"What are you talking about?" X asked, now rather concerned. The young scientist was acting very strangely.

"X… Zero told me that he told you about Copy X," she replied. "But he didn't tell you the entire truth. You see… all of what happened… is my fault. I built Copy X."

"…What?" said X, thoroughly startled, thinking back on Zero II's words. He had mentioned that the copy's creator had been female… but Ciel? "When? And… why?"

"It was… six years ago now," she said sinking into the chair. "I was seventeen, and just finishing up my doctorate. I'd always been the best, and whatever I attempted turned out brilliantly. Until then…"

She sighed, closing her eyes. "I was young, idealistic, naïve… I still am," she admitted. "You were my hero, X. I grew up hearing stories about the reploid who had fought valiantly for the world, who had saved us all from extinction so many times. I thought that if I could recreate you… that maybe you'd be able to save us again. I found copies of your blueprints…"

"But a reploid is a lot more than just construction," X said.

"I know that now… and I knew it then." She sighed again. "But I thought that it wouldn't matter. Even though what I built would not truly be you, I thought I could recreate your abilities, your personality… and it would be enough. But I misjudged. I forgot that the reason you are who you are isn't just programming, but the experiences and the choices you've made in your life. Copy X was created with a heroic legacy he could not possibly fulfill. He became consumed by love for his own fame, and twisted your ideals… and I could do nothing to stop him. After he began his oppressive policies, I tried to talk to him, but he had already gone beyond listening to me. I had no choice but to help the Resistance… and eventually, to send Zero to kill him."

She shook her head, her face brimming with emotion. "I feel horrible, X. He should not have been placed in the situation he was… He was my child, really, and I basically condemned him to death by my unrealistic expectations. That was the greatest mistake I have ever made… and I have to do whatever I can to atone for it."

"And… why did you want to apologize to me, then?" X asked.

"Because I helped to ruin your ideals and your reputation!" Ciel said, seemingly confused at his question. "I presumed to try and resurrect you… and in doing so the world is now even further from the state you tried to achieve."

"Miss Ciel," X said firmly, "you need to stop blaming yourself for everything. Copy X was a person with the ability to make choices, no matter how misguided he was. He could have stood up for himself, and realized what he was doing was wrong… but he didn't." He stood up, walking over so he could look her in the eyes. "And think about it, Ciel. It wasn't Copy X who caused the racism between reploids and humans. That already existed. If you hadn't built him, someone else would have implemented the same discriminatory policies, and things might have turned out even worse. So, you need to stop punishing yourself for the past. It's the present that matters… and from what I've seen, you're already doing all you can and more to help the people of this era."

"But…"

"Ciel, I know you've talked to me before," X said, folding his arms. "Zero has, and you must have as well to know what questions to ask me. And I'm sure what I'm saying now is the same thing I said then… or will be saying, I guess. I don't blame you for anything. I'm actually a bit flattered that you'd think I'm important enough to resurrect."

She flushed slightly. "You're the one person that humans and reploids have always respected… until I messed everything up."

"Ciel, you didn't need a legend to save the world," he replied. "You're more than capable of doing that yourself; especially now that you have Zero to help you."

She flushed again. "We would all have died without him…"

"But he would have died without you," X returned. "He said you were the one who found him."

"Yes, and I immediately had to ask him to fight our way out of there," she replied. "I was literally a minute from being killed when I found him."

"That's just what Zero does," X replied, smiling. "He's there for you in tough situations. I guarantee you I would not have survived the first war if he hadn't helped me."

"You're really close friends, aren't you?" Ciel observed.

He nodded. "Best friends… pretty much since we first met. Sometimes I wonder how it happened, since we're basically polar opposites, but I'm very glad that it did."

"You… the Original X didn't talk about him much," Ciel replied. "I think it's always… frustrated him a little. Our Zero, I mean... that he couldn't remember and you never explained... but at the same time, maybe he just doesn't want to know."

"I would think it would be awkward to be told about a past you can't remember," X replied. "He's a different person now. He's not my Zero anymore. And as much as that upsets me… he deserves to be able to live his own life."

"…That makes sense," Ciel replied. "I do wonder, though… the Original X would have known about this meeting when we spoke before, wouldn't he? Why didn't he tell us? It would have saved a lot of trouble if we were expecting your group to arrive."

"Well, there are two possible explanations," X said, shrugging. "The first is that we're changing the timeline by being here, meaning that the me you met didn't know about time travel."

"And what's the other?"

X shrugged. "That I just didn't want to tell you."

Ciel frowned. "Well, that's very nice."

The blue Hunter laughed. "Personally... in that situation, I wouldn't tell you. Not only would it be difficult to explain, it would potentially cause more damage to the time stream than our travel itself. And since I'm me, that's probably what I did. Will do. ...This is rather confusing, isn't it?"

She laughed slightly as well. "Yes, it really is."

"I can only hope we can find Sigma quickly and get out of your way, Miss Ciel," X said. "I know you must be very busy here with your own problems..."

"I'm happy to help, X," she assured him. "I mean, our resources are stretched as they always are, but we're in a time of relative lull right now. There isn't much to do until we're able to restore the forces we lost during the last battle with Weil."

"Well, I won't take up any more of your time," X said, rising to his feet.

"Again, it isn't a problem," she replied. "I'm not getting anywhere in my research right now..."

"What are you working on?" X asked curiously.

She gestured vaguely towards her computer. "It's an energy system... I hope it will be more viable than energy crystals, so that people won't have a good reason to discriminate against reploids anymore... though with Weil around, I don't know how much good it will do."

"It'll be a start, though," X said, enthused. "And a good thing for everyone, regardless."

"If I can get it to work," Ciel agreed.

"I'm sure you will," X replied, smiling.

------

Rock had managed to get himself thoroughly lost. The Resistance did not seem to be big on spending money for decoration; each corridor looked exactly like the last. He now walked down an empty, bland hallway, stretching symmetrically for some distance before turning a corner. He had seen no other people for several minutes, and was beginning to wonder if he ought to turn around.

Then there was a soft noise behind him. Rock turned, but the corridor behind him was empty. A fluorescent light flickered overhead.

Slightly nervous now, Rock turned back and continued down the hall. The soft noise was following him. Whirling again, the path was still empty.

"I know you're there," the boy said, his voice bouncing off the metal walls. "Don't hide. I'm friendly, I promise."

For a moment, he thought perhaps it had been his imagination after all. Then a small shape slipped from a shadowy wall alcove. Rock blinked, seeing that it was a tiny blonde-haired girl. She wore a simple pink dress and brown boots, tightly clutching a white stuffed cat to her chest. Hardly the mysterious stalker he'd been expecting.

"Hi there," he said, taking a step forward. The little girl watched him carefully. He halted, spreading his hands out in a gesture of peace. "If you want to talk to me, you can just come up and say hello, you know. I don't bite."

"...I've never seen you around here before," the girl said softly, blinking at him over the top of her stuffed toy. Rock now noted the machinery running through her light blue eyes and the mechanical ear covers that reploids of this era seemed to favor. So, she wasn't a human at all, but merely built to look like a child, like he was.

"We just got here," said Rock. He held out his hand. "My name's Rock. What's yours?"

"Alouette," said the girl, and tentatively let go of the cat with one arm, allowing Rock to take her hand. He shook it warmly.

"Nice to meet you, Alouette," he said. "Why were you hiding from me?"

"I... haven't met many other child models before," she said softly. "We don't often survive..."

"...Oh," said Rock, rather awkwardly. "Well, um... I guess I haven't met many other kids, either. So it's great to meet you!"

He smiled at her, and she smiled back, seeming more at ease now. "Then... we can be friends," she said tentatively. "Right?"

"Of course!" said Rock cheerily.

"...Would you like to play with me?" Alouette asked, her large blue eyes making it difficult to refuse.

"Sure, I've got some free time," said the boy, agreeing easily. The little girl smiled and took his arm, tugging him down the corridor. "So, what're we going to do?"

----

Rock sat around the small circular wooden table, across from Jacques, Clarise, Snuffles, Mr. Tiddlywinks, and Alouette. The stuffed animals all wore tiny bonnets and aprons that had been fashioned lovingly from jumpsuit scraps. In front of each was a delicate china cup, which the little girl treated as though it were made of something far more precious than glass.

"More tea?" she asked Rock. He nodded. She reached out over the cat in her lap and picked up the teapot. Holding it carefully, she poured more water into his outstretched cup.

"This is a lovely party, Alouette," Rock remarked, cradling the cup of water between his palms.

She smiled. "Thank you... Ciel plays with me sometimes but she's usually so busy... Jacques and everyone are glad to have a visitor." She patted the stuffed cat on the head.

"Why don't you use real tea, though?" Rock asked, as he sipped his water. "Do you not like it, or something?"

"Real tea?" Alouette questioned.

Rock blinked. "Yeah, you know, tea leaves or tea bags in hot water..."

"I've never had real tea," Alouette said, pouring more water into the cup of her stuffed rabbit, Clarise. "All the food we have goes to Ciel, and even then it's difficult to find enough."

"That's..." Rock blinked, reeling from the information. Of course, he knew that eating was an optional function. Recharging replenished energy, and supplemental tablets could take care of keeping the immune system running. X had said the Resistance probably didn't get much to eat, but still... nothing at all? He'd never gone hungry in all his twelve years of life, except perhaps those times mid-mission when he had an E-can instead of a sandwich. He couldn't imagine never eating. Did they never get hungry, then? Or did they feel like he had this morning, starving but forcing themselves to suppress the urge? No matter how he looked at it, it seemed a bleak existence...

Alouette looked at him. "We're reploids, we don't need to eat."

"Yeah, but we're designed to work better with food," said Rock. "Besides, it tastes good."

Alouette cocked her head to the side. "Yes, I suppose so... But Ciel needs everything we can find for her. ...Neo Arcadian reploids don't eat either. Where are you from, anyway?"

The little girl was deceptively perceptive, Rock thought. "Well, it's a bit of a long story," he said. "But I'm not from anywhere around here."

"But Neo Arcadia is the only place around," she pointed out.

"Yes... and that's why it's a long story." Rock looked across into her clear blue eyes. Well, Ciel and Zero II already knew the story, and he already felt he could trust the little girl. She possessed wisdom beyond the impression given by her small frame. Sighing, he made up his mind and began to explain as clearly as he could.

Alouette did not seem startled at all. "I always thought time-travel could be possible," she said. "But... I'm sorry you had to see the world end up like this. It can't be easy for you."

"No, it isn't," Rock admitted. "And what's worse is, I don't know what to do. I don't know how to help."

"I think you are helping already," said Alouette. "You're keeping the timeline safe. That means a lot. It would be impossible for us to fight your time-travelers and defend against Neo Arcadia all at once..."

"I guess you're right," he said. "Thanks, Alouette."

"It's nothing," she replied. "You know, you're really nice, Rock. You went along with everything. I didn't think a boy would want to... Mr. Zero always makes excuses when I ask." She giggled slightly, and Rock smiled, glad to see her happy.

"Well, I've had some practice, I'll admit," he said. "Twelve years of humoring my sister."

"Twelve years?" Alouette looked impressed. "I'm three and a half. I'll be four next winter. But twelve... you're very lucky."

"I'm, uh... beginning to think so too," Rock said, rubbing the back of his neck. He decided it would be best to change the subject. "So why are you with the Resistance anyway, Alouette?"

The girl's eyes turned sad. Rock immediately winced. He had been trying to lighten the mood, not make her more depressed. "I'm sorry, I should have realized that would bring up painful memories," he apologized.

She smiled at him. "It's all right. It was a long time ago, and really, I think it was the best thing that's ever happened to me. Ciel saved my life... no, she gave me my life. I was nothing but a puppet before I met her..."

Rock's curiosity got the better of him. "What happened? I mean... if you don't mind talking about it."

"I was built to be a companion to a wealthy girl in Neo Arcadia," Alouette explained, stroking her stuffed cat absently. "Watch her, clean up after her, play with her, you know. But the girl was very spoiled, and after a few months she got tired of me. I was too little to be of much help anywhere else in the house, so... the family decided to sell me. But no one else wanted a child model, either. We're pretty useless, I'm afraid..." She smiled apologetically.

Rock shook his head. "That's not true."

"Well, that's how it is in Neo Arcadia," Alouette replied. "They didn't want to keep me and they couldn't get rid of me, so they threw me out into the streets. Didn't even want the hassle of deactivating me, I suppose... I wandered away but I didn't get far. Some Pantheons ran into me, and as a reploid unlicensed to be on the streets, well..." She shook her head. "I ran, but I'm not very fast or armored at all. A direct blast would have killed me. But then, Ciel appeared."

"And she saved you?" Rock said.

Alouette nodded. "Took out the Pantheon patrol with her buster pistol. It was a very dangerous thing for her to have done... she was making her way out of the city to join with the Resistance reploids. She had stayed in Neo Arcadia for many months to recruit as many sympathetic reploids as she could, but the government had finally caught on to her... She had just escaped from her house before it was bombed by the Maverick Hunters, and saving me drew attention to her. It could have cost her life, but fortunately she made it safely from the city, and brought me with her."

"So you've been here pretty much from the beginning?" Rock asked.

"From the founding of the first base, anyway," Alouette replied. "Ciel has been so kind to me. Even though I'm not human, she treats me no differently. She made most of these for me," she said, gesturing at the stuffed toys gathered around her. Then she looked down, staring at the white painted surface of the table. "I love her very much... like a sister or a mother, even. I suppose it's silly, though, for a reploid to call a human their family."

"That's not true either!" said Rock. Alouette looked up. "My father is human," he explained. "But he's still my father. He built me and he loves me, even though I'm not biologically his son. And I love him back, just like you care about Ciel. There's no reason you can't call her family, Alouette. The difference between humans and robots is what we're made of, not what's inside our hearts."

Alouette was silent for a moment. Then she smiled, looking happier than Rock had seen her yet. "Thank you, Rock. I'll remember that."

"You're welcome," said Rock, slightly embarrassed. "So um... why don't you tell me some more about yourself? How do you usually spend your time? Do you help with the Resistance?"

"I can't do very much," Alouette admitted. "I don't have skills for managing electronic equipment, and I certainly can't fight. Ciel is teaching me, though. She says reploid children need to learn just like human ones, and when I get older I'll be just as smart as she is. I hope she's right... I'd like to be a scientist someday, so I can help her."

"I'm sure you will," said Rock firmly. "You're already really smart, Alouette. And very perceptive, too."

She looked down, blushing slightly. "Not really. But right now, I can't do very much for the Resistance, unfortunately. I help Ciel take care of the cyber elves, but I mainly just worry while Mr. Zero is off on missions..."

Rock looked thoughtful. "So, you know Zero pretty well, then?" he asked. He'd been hoping to learn more about the mysterious reploid, who looked so much like his friend yet acted completely differently.

"Yes, he helps out Ciel all the time," said Alouette. She smiled. "He's given us hope... I don't think we'd be here now without him. I'm very glad he came."

"What's he like?" Rock asked, stirring his water idly with a teaspoon. "I mean... he seems to be a lot different from the Zero that I know from 21XX. He doesn't talk very much."

"Mr. Zero... acts silent and tough all the time, but sometimes I think he's more insecure than me," said Alouette softly. "He's afraid of talking to people. I think he's shy."

"Shy? Zero?" said Rock, raising his eyebrows. Those were two words he'd never expected to hear together.

Alouette nodded. "He's supposed to be really old, but... I don't think he remembers that time at all. Sometimes, I wonder... who is really older, him or me? He acts like nothing can touch him, but sometimes... I think he gets afraid. That's why I try to look out for him."

"Look out for him?" Rock asked, slightly amused.

"Well... I can't do very much," said Alouette. "But I try to pay attention to him, talk to him. Cheer him on and cheer him up... It's all I can do, but I think it helps him, a little."

"Well, that's very nice of you," Rock said.

Alouette smiled. "Well… he's a friend."

"Bass and Blues don't think he likes us very much," Rock admitted. "They don't think he trusts us yet."

"Time travel is a difficult concept to accept," Alouette agreed. "Mr. Zero's had a very tough life, and we've all been betrayed before…. but he'll like you when he gets to know you. I'm sure of it."

"I hope so," Rock replied.

"He will," Alouette affirmed. "You're a good person, Rock."

"Ah... thanks, Alouette," Rock said, his cheeks beginning to redden.

"Would you like some more tea?" Alouette asked, picking up the teapot.

Rock smiled. "Sure, that'd be great."

Rock and Alouette continued chatting lightly for another hour or so, until Rock decided he should probably go search out the others. Thanking the little girl for inviting him, he headed out of her room. The door slid shut and he started walking forward, only to nearly collide with Blues.

"Familiarizing yourself with the locals, Rocky?" the older robot asked, wearing an amused smile. He put his hands on his brother's shoulders to steady him.

The boy frowned, taking a step backward. "Don't you ever whistle anymore?"

"You never listen to it these days anyway. Besides, it'd spoil my fun." Blues' shades flashed with amusement in the light. "Ciel told me to find you. It looks like something unusual has come up."

"Any ideas what it is?" Rock asked, looking up at his brother inquisitively.

"No more than you do, I'm afraid," Blues answered. "Zero II wouldn't give me a straight answer… but I think Wily may be involved since they called us, so let's get moving, huh?" He motioned for the boy to follow.

Rock matched his brother's stride as they walked toward the elevator. "Hey Blues," he said, as the older boy pressed the call button and they waited for the lift to arrive. "How'd you know where I was?"

"I saw you and that little girl walking past earlier," he replied nonchalantly. The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside.

"So you stalked us," Rock finished, while pressing the fourth floor button.

"Followed out of curiosity," Blues corrected, flashing a smirk. The doors closed again and the car began rising. "I'm mysterious, not creepy. You should know better than anyone how I get around."

"Of course," Rock replied, trying hard not to sound caustic. It was more like eavesdropping than getting around, but he wasn't about to start that argument.

The elevator continued its rumbling journey upward. "So who was she, anyway?" Blues asked.

"What, the super spy doesn't even know that?" Rock teased.

"Maybe I do, but I'm not admitting anything."

Rock rolled his eyes, leaning against the wall. "Her name's Alouette. Ciel takes care of her. I talked to her because she looked lonely and said she hadn't met many other kids before. Now, are you going to pick on me for it?"

"Nah," Blues replied. The elevator reached the fourth floor and they exited, continuing briskly toward the control room. "What you did was a good thing, bro. But... I'm still going to hang this over your head for awhile, in case you happen to get out of hand." He smiled for an instant, but then his face turned serious once more. "Now, it's time to focus on what needs to be done so we can get home."

"Right," Rock replied, enthused. They reached the entrance to the command center and stepped inside together.

"About time you two showed up," Bass said, the usual irritation in his voice. He was leaning against a side wall with his arms folded, watching Ciel and Zero II, who stood near the center of the room. Rock knew that part of the black robot's current anger was that the Resistance was currently in complete control of the situation. They couldn't continue their hunt for Wily without their assistance, and depending on others was something Rock knew Bass hated.

X and Zero were also already in the room, X holding his helmet in his hands and standing beside his friend, who leaned against one of the computer terminals. Both nodded to Rock and Blues as they entered. The rest of the room was empty. Rock assumed Ciel had dismissed the other personnel for the time being.

"Great, they're here," Bass said, stepping away from the wall. "Now, can you tell us what all those blips on the map mean?" He pointed at a large holographic display beside Ciel. The hologram was of the planet Earth, and there was a red flashing light near the South Pole.

"Yes," Ciel said, pointing at the dot. "This is the area of Neo Arcadia's South Pole computer base. Zero, you remember infiltrating that a few months ago."

Zero II nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, it's been putting off distress signals," Ciel continued.

"So? Don't you have guerillas attacking that place?" Bass asked, looking over to Ciel. "If it's a computer base, doesn't that give it the label 'smash me', or am I missing something?"

"Bass! Don't be snide," X shot back at him. "Let Ciel finish."

"That's what's strange about it, Bass," Ciel replied, seemingly unphased by his tone. "We're not attacking it. Typically it's too heavily fortified to even infiltrate; only Zero's had success in doing so. The fact that distress signals are going off at all is worrisome."

"Do you think it's Sigma?" Zero asked, glancing at X.

"Maybe," said the blue Hunter. "Though I doubt it'd be him personally. Maybe another robot master..."

"Are the Neo Arcadians responding to the distress beacons?" Zero II asked.

Ciel shook her head. "We don't believe so. Considering they're still distracted by X's appearance, it seems unlikely reinforcements will arrive quickly. Which brings me to the mission," she said, folding her arms lightly. "Zero, I'd like you to go down there and investigate the disturbance."

"Sure," Zero II replied.

"What about us?" X asked.

"I didn't want to ask that of you unless you were willing to volunteer," Ciel replied. "But if you'd like to, go ahead. It seems likely that it is related to your enemies, as no one else we know of would be able to assault a facility like that. I locked in the trans server coordinates already. But please, be careful. All of you."

"We will, Dr. Ciel," Rock replied. "Everything will be fine! You'll see!"

"I'm sure I will," Ciel warmly smiled. "Zero, if things get too dangerous, I want you to withdraw back to base. Is that clear?"

"Yeah, I'll think about it." Zero II replied, somewhat flatly.

"Zero…" She sighed.

"You all ready?" Zero II asked, though it was really more of a statement.

"Yeah," X nodded. "So we just go in, see what's doing damage and leave if it's not Wily-related? Hey, are there humans in that facility?"

"What kind of human in their right mind would be there?" Zero said, in a lightly mocking tone. "It's the South Pole! If it's anything like the rest of this barren wasteland, it's even worse than in our time! And it was already freakin' cold there! Imagine now!"

X shrugged. "It was a valid question."

"Don't worry, X," Ciel responded. "There are no humans at all in the Computer Base. Just guard mechaniloids, Pantheons, the usual Neo Arcadian forces. You won't have to worry about collateral damage... provided you end up in a fight."

"Sweet!" Bass said, pumping his arm. "Let's go!"

"Do try to keep a low profile, though," Ciel warned.

"Don't worry. I'll take care of everything," Zero II replied as he stepped into the large platform in the center of the room. The others quickly followed. "Start the transfer, Ciel."

"Of course," she said, pushing a button on a nearby console. She watched as the six warriors were beamed out in rapid succession. As the last traces of light left the transporter pad, she found herself saying the words she said so often in the past.

"Good luck, Zero..."


	18. Brain Freeze

* * *

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

_Brain Freeze_

* * *

They arrived within eyeshot of the South Pole base, though the blizzard around them made it no more than a hazy smudge behind a curtain of white. The freezing wind pounded against Rock's exposed face, chilling his nose and half-blinding him with snow. The ground was slippery; a thin layer of fresh powder covered a thick sheet of ice.

"There it is…" Zero II called out over the noise of the storm, pointing to the faint outline of the facility's metal walls. "Let's get moving." Rock watched as the future warrior pushed carefully forward across the frozen tundra. The cold made it difficult to argue, and the rest of the team followed obediently.

They trudged at a quick pace, all eager to get out of the elements. Beneath the omnipresent howl of the wind Rock could hear the crackle of snow and the muffled clang of their boots against the ice. They continued forward, heads bowed against the flying snow. Rock caught hold of Blues' hand to avoid losing him in the poor visibility. His brother's fingers were icy to the touch.

Then his audio sensors registered a slight, unusual noise. "Did you hear that?" he shouted over the wind, glancing to the side to search for the source and receiving a face of snow for his trouble.

"Hear what?" Blues replied. His scarf was pulled up over his nose and the trailing ends whipped wildly in the gale.

The noise came again. Rock gripped his brother's hand tighter, now certain he had not been imagining things. "It sounded like something was splintering!"

"…What?" Blues called back, still not able to hear over the storm. The others turned their heads, giving Rock quizzical looks.

The blue bomber put his free hand to his mouth to try and shout louder. "The ice! It sounded like it was…"

Before Rock could finish his warning, the sound broke through the howling zephyr. A few feet away, a jagged crack appeared in the ice, the sheet weakened by the weight of six armored robots. Hairline fractures spread from the source and another, larger crack appeared, the entire sheet beginning to sink into the water below. Blues shoved Rock forward. "Run!"

They ran, pushing headlong into the wind. The snow blinded Rock and for a moment he lost sight of the others, but Blues pulled on his hand and they continued moving. The ice was splintering faster now, breaking into chunks that floated on a gaping maw of Antarctic water.

They were not fast enough. The fracture was spreading ahead of them, threatening to isolate them on a floating iceberg. X, near the head of the group, pointed to their left.

"It's more solid over there!" he shouted, pointing to an untouched area of ice. The six robots headed for it, ice floes nipping at their heels. Zero II reached the edge and jumped, sailing over the fissure and landing gracefully on the opposite side. The ice held his weight, and the others began to follow suit.

Rock leapt the crevasse and turned. Bass and Zero still remained on the ice, lagging a few paces behind the others. Zero, reaching the edge, launched himself into the air. Bass took a final step forward, preparing to do the same—and the ice floe finally gave way. The black robot was instantly engulfed by the ocean, sinking from view.

"Bass!" Rock shouted. Without thinking, he turned towards the fissure, but was halted immediately by Blues.

"Don't be stupid, Rock!" Blues struggled to hold his brother back. The little blue robot wriggled violently in his arms, trying to break free and aid his fallen comrade. The ice continued to crack, spreading outward towards the two boys. X caught onto Blues' scarf and pulled both his brothers backward from the edge onto slightly safer ground.

"We have to do something!" Rock said desperately, still struggling in Blues' grasp. "He's too heavy! He'll be trapped!"

Zero gritted his teeth. "Damn it!" he swore, staring at the enlarging hole in the ice. "I'm going in, X!" Before anyone could object, the blonde dashed forward and flung himself into the frozen brine.

Zero sunk into a dive, icy liquid rushing past as he descended through the murky depths. The salt water stung his eyes, but he forced them open and his systems began to calibrate for the sudden temperature change. Reploids were built to withstand intense environments, so there was no danger of he or Bass dying from the cold. Being trapped, however, was another matter. Armored reploids were very heavy and sunk quickly to the bottom. Depending on the depth here, there was the possibility of being crushed under the immense pressure of the ocean. Zero knew his own thrusters were enough to carry him back to the surface if necessary; but bringing Bass with him was another matter. He thought wryly that perhaps he should have considered that before jumping in, but he had never been one to think before he acted. That was X's job, and he was more than content to give his friend free reign.

His eyes finally grew used to the cold and he was able to see the bottom. His chronometer showed he had been sinking for only a few seconds, though the eerie, dimly lit underwater world made the journey seem much longer. His proximity sensors warned him he was nearing the ocean floor. Quickly flipping himself upright, he landed neatly on his feet on a rocky outcropping. The thin sand that coated the surface stirred around him. Looking up, he judged himself to be about seventy feet below the ice. The environment was hazy and dim, illuminated by what little light from the hole filtered through the briny water. It was enough to show a rock shelf to his left and a dark smudge on the ground a few dozen yards away. Zero guessed that was a trench leading deeper into the ocean. He silently prayed Bass had not fallen into it… that deep, and the pressure would surely destroy him.

Zero flipped his vision to thermal mode. Nothing registered at first, but then he turned his head to the left and the brightly colored mark of Bass' heat signature emerged from the cold water. The Hunter's racing artificial heartbeat slowed again, and he silently gave thanks that his brother had not become a crushed heap of metal at the bottom of the future's ocean floor.

Bass was not far away, standing slightly further along the rocky shelf, arms folded and glaring at the ice sheet above. Zero drew closer waved slightly to get his attention. The black robot turned in acknowledgement, but his sour expression did not change. Zero smiled as he saw Bass was the same as usual, undeterred by his unfortunate swimming adventure.

Zero maneuvered over to the ebony armored robot, looking around for an escape route. To his left, the rock formation stretched upwards almost to the distant hole in the ice. Smiling again, he realized this was their ticket out of here. He would easily be able to scale the cliff with his wall jump capability. Tapping Bass's shoulder, he pointed to the wall, expecting him to notice it as well and start climbing.

However, the black robot responded only by deepening his frown. The blonde blinked and tilted his head in a quizzical gesture, again motioning to the wall. Bass merely shook his head. Giving up, Zero motioned for the black Wily-bot to grab onto his shoulders so he could carry them both back to the surface. Bass began shaking his head even more violently, making a very obvious "no" gesture by waving his arms.

Zero put his hands on his hips, inwardly wondering why his brother had to be so difficult and regretting his inability to yell at him underwater. He glared at Bass, who simply glared back. The red Hunter then rolled his eyes and again motioned to the wall and for Bass to grab on. The black robot continued to scowl, but then finally gave a shrug of reluctance. He took a few steps forward, unsteady in the water, grasped his brother's shoulders and waited.

The blonde warrior jumped, activating his boost thrusters as he lifted off. Bass's eyes widened as the momentum attempted to rip his hands away from Zero's shoulders. Abandoning his pride now, he clamped his arms tightly around his brother's waist as Zero's boots caught onto the rock face, then catapulted off it upwards through the water. The blonde Hunter continued to repeat this until he reached the top of the formation. Then with one final thruster burst, he pushed himself upward and away from the stone and burst into the freezing Antarctic air.

The final leap sent them flying about three yards from the hole, hitting solid ice a short distance away from the rest of the group. They continued to skid for several more feet on the slippery surface. Bass let go as soon as they stopped moving, rolling onto his back and breathing heavily as his systems stabilized.

The others quickly ran towards them. X lent a hand to Zero, who used it to pull himself to his feet. He began brushing off his armor and wringing out his ponytail, trying to remove the excess water before it could freeze, but he was a little late; the droplets were already crystallizing into ice. Blues offered his own hand to Bass, but the black robot refused the assistance and stood on his own, once the shock of his adventure had worn off somewhat.

"Are you okay, Bass?" Rock asked, eying the Wily-bot apprehensively. His black armor was already gathering its own icy coating.

Bass crossed his arms, his usual scowl in place though lacking any venom. "I'm fine, rockhead. It's going to take more than some water to stop me." His armor trim shifted from yellow-orange to red, and his buster began gathering energy. The heat of his charging Atomic Fire quickly melted the layer of ice. A moment later he was dry, save for the snow still falling on his helmet and shoulders.

"Hey! No fair, I can't do that!" Zero said, scowling at Bass. The black robot merely grinned and dismissed the charge, flipping back to his buster.

"We need to get moving," Zero II said tonelessly, cutting off the conversation. "The base is close now. We have work to do." He turned, walking smoothly towards the building, seeming not to care whether they followed or not.

Bass and Zero exchanged a look, then shrugged. The others quickly followed Zero II and pushed forward to the main entrance.

From outside, the computer base was a series of interconnected domes built on the solid rocky cliffs bordering the icecap, mostly buried from the raging snowstorms of the area. The group crossed a large flat area that had cement somewhere beneath the snow, probably used as a landing pad of some sort during those rare times when the weather was better. Beyond, they approached the largest of the domes. A large, thick metallic door, hinges locked in place by ice, protected the installation from the elements. Zero II's attempt at opening it resulted in the handle breaking off in his hand. Irritated, he threw the handle over his shoulder and drew his Z-Saber. The green beam blade solidified, and he jammed it through the door, cutting it to pieces with three quick slashes.

"I like how this guy works," Bass muttered, a smirk on his face as Zero II stepped over the threshold into the facility. He followed next, with Zero right behind him and the three Light-bots bringing up the rear.

The inside of the Computer Base was still cold, but without the wind and raging blizzard, Rock found it to be a welcome change. Zero was still complaining, however; shooting irritated glances at Bass while his mass of wet hair trailed a line of slush over the tile floor. "See if I save _you_ again," he muttered, as the perfectly dry Bass walked ahead with a smirk.

"Tough luck," said Bass, flippantly. "It's your own fault for not having a weapons-copy system."

"How is that _my_ fault?" Zero retorted, flicking his ponytail in Bass' direction so frigid water droplets spattered over him. "I didn't build myself!"

"If you really want to be dry, I can set your hair on fire," Bass offered. "You could use the haircut anyway."

"Nice try, but it's fireproof," Zero replied.

Bass grinned, a devious look in his eyes, and an instant later he had armed Atomic Fire sent a jet of flame towards Zero. The blonde warrior yelped and rolled to the side, steam rising from his hair. "What the hell are you doing?" he cried, stumbling back to his feet.

"What?" Bass said, folding his arms as the rest of the party turned to look at him, incredulous. "Did you really want to hear him complain about being wet for the rest of the mission?"

"That hurt," Zero said, examining his now mostly dry hair. The fire had been a low setting and he was completely unharmed, though vapor now radiated from his armor. "My hair's fireproof but I can still get burned, idiot."

"Don't be a baby, you're fine," Bass retorted. "Now come on. The enemies in this base won't kill themselves."

Rock ignored the ensuing argument and looked around the room. They were inside some sort of control area near the main entrance; however, the computers and instruments that normally would be beeping and flashing were encased in layers of ice. Broken mechaniloid parts were flung about in the room; blaster marks melted through the ice being the other indicator of struggle. The once beige walls of the facility were now the walls of an industrial strength freezer.

Rock took one step forward, and his foot almost slipped out from underneath him. Skidding a little, he regained his step a second later. Even the floor was covered in ice. The frozen lamps above shone weakly through their shells, the dim light reflecting off the crystalline walls and floor, giving the base an unsettling and eerie feel.

"…This isn't normal, is it?" Zero asked rhetorically.

"No, it isn't." Zero II walked deliberately forward, each step carefully planned to maintain balance. He drew his buster pistol and held it with the easy grace of an accomplished marksman.

"What could've caused it?" X asked.

"Probably a Neo Arcadian Ice Golem," Zero II replied dismissively. He pressed himself against a wall and looked carefully down one of the hallways leading deeper into the facility. He then stepped quickly into the corridor, pointing his weapon ahead of him. When nothing attacked, the Resistance member motioned quietly for the others to follow.

Rock readied his weapon as he trailed behind X, his eyes darting ahead and behind looking for threats. The base itself was deathly still, save for the dripping of melted ice into the puddles on the floor. It grew increasingly darker as they moved further down the hall. Rock found himself flipping through his various vision modes to get a better feel for his surroundings. He finally settled on low-light night vision and continued scanning the environment.

He jumped suddenly as something foreign caught his eye. His night vision showed four humanoid sized targets to their right, presumably with weapons pointed at them. "There!" he shouted, training his buster on the anomaly. The others turned to face the threat. Rock frowned, as the targets remained motionless. "What… what is it? Why aren't they firing?"

Zero II ignited his saber and cautiously approached, only to halt a moment later and relax his guard. "…These _were_ Pantheons," he replied. "But they're frozen solid, Rock." He turned toward the blue robot and looked at him directly. His face reflected an odd curiosity, which Rock figured was directed at the deactivated Pantheons rather than him. It quickly turned out he was wrong. "…You're not using thermal vision, are you?"

"No," Rock replied truthfully.

"Switch to it," he said tersely, turning around. "Don't use night vision in this kind of environment. You'll never see your enemy coming. Their heat signatures are much more telling."

"What about those Ice Golems you talked about?" Rock asked.

"Even they give off a noticeable heat signature. Switch to thermal and let's go." Zero II started walking again, with the others following closely. Rock took the rear position this time, scanning behind them for any movement.

They continued down the corridor for what seemed like ages. The dim light of the beam sabers and X's helmet reflected off the ice-encased walls, giving the entire place an ethereal feeling, like they were underwater or on some distant planet. Rock thought idly that they may as well be, considering how different this era was from his own...

"Hey, Zero II," he said suddenly, his voice echoing in the empty hallway. The Resistance fighter turned his head in acknowledgement. "What's this place used for, anyway?"

"It's a central hub for Neo Arcadia's computer systems," Zero II replied, his eyes shifting back to the corridor ahead. "Most of their network is connected to here."

"So why haven't you taken it out yet?" Zero asked. His face shimmered blue-green in the glow of his saber and helmet jewel, magnified by the crystal walls. "Something this important would be a major blow, don't you think?"

"I've infiltrated it before," the other blonde replied. "It's usually very well guarded. But also, this place controls things like life support in Neo Arcadia that we can't afford to tamper with."

"So you can't blow it up or everyone you're trying to protect would die," Bass summarized. "Man, that sucks."

"What's up with all this ice, though?" Rock asked, as he nearly lost his footing on a particularly slippery patch of ground. "You mentioned ice golems before... what exactly are they? And why would they attack their own troops?"

"They're large mechaniloids with ice powers," said Zero II. "And Neo Arcadian troops don't bother avoiding friendly fire."

"But that means that something must have been here to cause the golem to attack," said X.

Zero II gave a slight nod. "Probably."

"It's probably Wily," said Zero. "Unless there's some other group that would want to wander around attacking computers at the South Pole..."

"I don't know of any," Zero II said shortly, and effectively ended the conversation.

They continued their icebound journey. Zero and X began discussing some issue from their own era in quiet tones. Zero II lead, silent once again, and Rock decided to fall back to walk beside Blues, who trailed the group. The older boy still had his scarf pulled up high on his chin to protect against the cold.

"You okay?" Rock asked him softly. "You're being really quiet."

"I'm fine," he replied. "Just... something about this isn't sitting right with me..."

Rock tilted his head to the side. "The ice, you mean?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Stay alert, Rocky."

"Of course," he said. "I've been doing this sort of thing for a long time, brother."

Blues smiled, putting a hand on the smaller robot's shoulder. "I know you have. It's just that this place is a lot different from what all of us are used to, and I think it's best if we keep reminding ourselves to stay on guard. It'd be too easy to underestimate the situation."

"Right," Rock affirmed. "I'll be careful. Make sure you are too."

The road reached a bend. Zero II motioned for the party to stop and peered cautiously around the corner. He pulled back a moment later, his eyes narrowed. "The path is blocked. That's the only route I know of that leads deeper into the facility."

X walked around the corner and inspected the barricade. Dense rubble had fallen into the corridor, stretching upwards almost to the ceiling and looking very unclimbable. The collapse had cleared the ice from the nearby walls, leaving much of the corridor covered by crystal shards. The ceiling itself was about twenty feet up; too high to jump to straight from the ground. "Looks like part of the ceiling collapsed," the blue Hunter observed. "Maybe it was weakened by all of the ice."

"Fine then, I'm going to just clear out of the way!" Bass said, priming his Bass Buster. He unleashed a charged shot that was blinding to Rock's eyes. The plasma impacted violently on the barricade. Unfortunately, it did little more than leave a scorch mark on the rubble blockade.

"That's not going to work," Zero II said flatly.

"It was worth a try," the black robot muttered, folding his arms.

"Hey, Zero… I think there may be a gap up there," X said a moment later, pointing up to the ceiling. There was indeed a hole in the rubble a little bit larger than five feet in height. "Looks like we can slip through it if we climb the wall over there. Do you see it, Zero II?"

The Resistance member nodded. "Yes. That should work."

"I'll go check it out, X," Zero said. The red Hunter dashed over to one of the corridor walls and began scaling it with a series of jumps. His boots clanged against the sheer metal as he ascended.

Rock's eyes widened as he saw the long-haired reploid perform what he thought was a physically impossible feat. "How… how are you doing that?"

"Huh?" Zero asked, looking down after hearing Rock's astonished outcry. He stopped jumping and allowed himself to slide back down the wall, touching the ground with a soft click. "What do you mean? It's just wall jumping."

Bass arched an eyebrow. "You used that to get us out of the ice, too, didn't you?" He waved his hand to the side mimicking Zero's ascent up the wall. "I can use my thrusters to dash in mid-air, and I can jump off of a wall sideways once... But how can you climb just one wall like that?"

"You're not outfitted with the system, it seems," X said, turning to them. "This could be a problem."

"Sheesh, no wonder you looked so confused when we were underwater," Zero added, looking at Bass.

"But how does it work?" Blues asked, folding his arms and sounding slightly interested.

"Well, all three of you can leap off of a wall once, right?" Zero said, looking around. "...I hope?"

"Yeah, since Father upgraded my leg stabilizers with gyroscopes," Rock replied, nodding. "I can keep my balance better and now there's an instant where I can leap off a wall like it's a small ledge."

"Our systems must work on a similar principle," said X. "Our stabilizers just must be more advanced to give us a greater window for doing that, considering we can slide down the wall when the gyroscopes adjust..."

"But how do you keep on jumping up the wall like that?" Rock asked. "Wouldn't you need another one behind you to push off from again?"

X shook his head. "When we jump off the wall, the acceleration system stores a charge of air. Partway through the jump, that charge activates, so we can gain altitude and change direction in the air. Then we return to the wall and keep climbing upward."

"Sounds convenient," Proto Man mused.

"And it makes that red mutt Mega Man has obsolete," Bass joked snidely.

"Don't say that about Rush!" Rock cried, scowling.

"Guys!" X cut in. "Now's not the time for that. We have to keep moving."

"Enough of this," Zero II said. "Each of you grab onto one of us so we can keep moving." Taken aback by the blonde's rigid tone, Rock hesitated for a moment, but quickly ran over to X and looped his arms around his neck. Bass approached Zero and Blues shrugged nonchalantly and took hold of Zero II. "X, you go first," the Resistance member instructed. "Then you, Zero. I'll follow behind." X nodded and scaled the wall expertly, despite the weight of Rock on his back. The moment he reached the hole, he crouched and passed through slowly. Zero trailed just as quickly, but a little less gracefully, considering it was obvious Bass was less than thrilled about the ride. When they reached the hole, Bass had to duck down into Zero's back to avoid bashing his head. Zero II turned his head to Blues a moment after they disappeared. "Ready?"

"Go for it," he replied, although Zero II was already in motion. The red warrior scaled the wall fluidly, landing softly on top of the barricade and passing swiftly to the other side. There he slid quickly down the opposite wall and landed with a soft clang. Blues let go immediately, ruffling his scarf back into place.

"How much deeper does this facility go?" Rock wondered, glancing down the hallway which continued to wind out of sight.

"Not much further," Zero II replied. "Though I'm concerned about the lack of guards."

"They're there," Rock replied, pointing. "They're all just frozen solid. Lots of them. On all sides of the hallway."

Zero II shot Rock a look. "Are you still using night vision?"

"Yeah," Rock replied. "That's what letting me see all of that." Zero II made no reply, though he shook his head slightly. "…And the Pantheon in the-" he was cut off by the sound of shattering ice, as the machine trapped within it ground back to life.

"Look out!" Bass shouted, seeing the Pantheon raise his weapon. He snapped off a charged blast which reduced the robot into metal slime. "That's it! We're making sure that doesn't happen again!" Bass quickly flipped his buster to automatic and began to fire. Plasma sped through the room, slamming into every frozen guard robot in the area and putting sizzling holes in the ice on the ceiling. He finished seconds later, smoke curling from his weapon. The floor was now covered in a putrid slush of ice and molten metal.

"That's one way to deal with a problem," Blues sighed.

"And a good one!" Bass defended.

"The main control chamber should be just ahead." Zero II motioned up the corridor and continued walking, avoiding a puddle of Pantheon remains. The hallway stretched on for several hundred more feet, with Bass's buster lighting the way as he wiped out every frozen mechaniloid he came across. They finally reached the security door, which was unceremoniously ripped off the wall and discarded on the ground nearby.

"Hm. Cold reception," Blues quipped as they passed through the chamber. He ignored a glare from X, merely smirking back at his little brother.

On the other side of the door was a massive computer control center. The consoles were covered in colossal ice crystals, stretching up towards the ceiling, and the floor and walls were similarly frozen. However, the computers in the room appeared operational, even while sheathed in the icy barrier. The remains of giant mechaniloids were scattered across the room. Rock counted four separate heads, although with the amount of wreckage he supposed there could be another somewhere. They were of a type he did not recognize but he was rather glad he wouldn't be fighting them.

"Well... it wasn't ice golems," Zero II said after a moment, surveying the wreckage of the machines. The parts were embedded deep in the ice crystals covering the rest of the room.

"…Charming," Blues said, as he surveyed the room. "I don't suppose those computers are overclocked so much that they need this much cooling?"

"Quit joking and keep your eyes peeled, old man," Bass growled, flipping through his vision modes trying to get a better view of the room. It was partially dark, though lit by the monitors. "Whatever did this is probably still nearby."

"My thermal scanners aren't picking up anything. And night vision is being blurred by the light in here," Zero II said as he reactivated his standard vision.

"Trust me," Proto Man cut in. "There's someone here, all right. I think I have a good idea of who we're facing. There's only three Robot Masters that fit this profile… and only one who's powerful enough to do this much damage."

"Blues?" Rock asked, inquisitively.

"Get ready. He's coming." His voice was overlaid by the sound of cracking ice. It was soft at first, and then instantly became like glass shattered by a brick. The noise echoed through the room and the ceiling lamps above flickered to a low light.

"Good evening, heroes," a haughty, regal sounding voice came from the far corner of the room. "I must admit, I was not expecting your presence in this far flung land and time..."

A tall, blue armor-clad figure emerged from the block of ice. His face was covered mostly by a mask revealing only his eyes and eyebrows arched in a serious expression. The shoulders of his armor were designed in the shape of ice crystals, as was the top of his helmet. He paced out into open view, put a hand to his chin, and threw his other arm out to the side.

"Great," Rock said, putting a hand to his face. "It's that stupid pose again. Come on, Freeze Man, surely you've got a new one by now!"

"I beg thy pardon, Mega Man, but please do not interrupt mine entrance." Freeze Man posed gracefully again, and then moved swiftly into another.

"Why is he speaking like that?" X asked. "Does he think he's a knight or a Shakespearian actor, or something?"

"…No, he's just being an idiot," Bass replied.

"Mega Man, how did you stand fighting all of these losers?" Zero asked, trying to prevent his left eyebrow from twitching.

"It wasn't easy," Rock replied, rolling his eyes. Freeze Man was still slipping into various poses, some of which were actually pretty cool looking, in Rock's opinion.

X shrugged. "We've dealt with some pretty stupid Mavericks, ourselves, Zero."

"…I'll grant you Split Mushroom," Zero sighed.

Freeze Man finally straightened into an upright position, and looked at the party with his face deadly serious. "Now then, I was not informed that you would be joining us, Mega Man. But whatever the case, you have seen too much. Nary a soul, robotic or otherwise, may stand in the way of Doctor Wily!"

"If you weren't expecting us, why were you frozen in that ice waiting for your entrance?" Rock asked.

"Tis not of your concern," Freeze Man replied loftily, "but if ye must know, t'was merely a mode of resting before I returned from my quest."

"His voice is really beginning to make me mad," Bass grumbled. "Let's melt him."

"Don't take him lightly," Zero II said flatly. "He's taken out several of Neo Arcadia's Ice Golems by himself. He is more dangerous than he looks if his cold attacks could defeat _them._"

"Yeah, but we have one thing that the Ice Golems didn't," Blues replied.

"Fire." Mega Man finished. He smiled, his armor shifting to red and orange. Bass and Proto Man shifted their weapons as well. "Though, you never know with Wily. I mean, Freeze Man was originally weak to _junk._"

"I suppose you intend to do battle, then," Freeze Man said, eyeing his six opponents. "Very well, I shall begin!" He leapt backwards onto a computer console, balancing easily as though the equipment was not covered by a sheet of ice. Frigid air began forming around his hands, solidifying into ice spheres. A moment later the robot master jumped upward and tossed the ice at Rock.

Rock threw up his hands, but the attack was too sudden. The first sphere caught him in the chest; the second in the helmet. The impact knocked him off balance and his feet slipped out from under him. He tumbled backwards, skidding on the icy floor. He hit the wall head first. The impact jarred his senses, but he recovered quickly and picked himself up, wincing. He ran a hand over his helmet to check for dents.

"Hey!" Blues said, his tone slightly dangerous. "No one cheap-shots my little brother!" As the robot master's attention shifted to him, he unleashed an inferno of flames from his buster. Freeze Man leapt nimbly away from the blast and retaliated with another frozen orb. Blues raised his shield and it bounced harmlessly away, though the momentum of the attack sent him sliding across the floor.

"Is that all there is to it?" Bass demanded. "Fine! This'll be easy." He switched to his Bass Buster and armed his rapid fire. Plasma bullets hurtled at Freeze Man, but pinged harmlessly off his armor plating. "What the?"

"He's tougher than the others!" X exclaimed, sending a fully charged shot at the icy Robot Master. "You're going to have to hit hard to get through!"

Seeing the attack coming, Freeze Man encased himself in a cloud of vapor. The mist faded as the plasma passed through, and the shot impacted against something solid and frozen, sending shards spinning across the room. Freeze Man tossed away the sheet of ice he had hastily crafted as a shield, and it shattered against the wall.

"Thy attacks are very predictable," he said, creating more ice in his hands. He then leapt forward, passing over his opponent's heads. He flung the ice shot down toward Zero II. The blonde was not even fazed, bringing up his left gauntlet which now shimmered with green energy. A shield-like energy field encircled the limb and deflected the ice. The Resistance fighter then ignited his Z-Saber in his other hand and dashed to intercept Freeze Man's landing.

The red warrior shoulder charged the Wily-bot with his energy shield, knocking the Robot Master off balance. He followed with a Z-saber strike that left a sparking gash in Freeze Man's armor plating. The robot master, wincing in pain from the blade, shot a blast of frozen gas into Zero II's face. The mist blinded the red reploid, causing him to stagger backwards.

Zero II's face went numb as the frozen mist chilled his synthflesh. He quickly rubbed his arm across his eyes and his auto repair systems scrambled to increase heat output to compensate, finally clearing his vision. By then Freeze Man had already leapt away, and the others were firing rapidly at him, trying to keep him pinned behind a row of computer terminals. Mega Man and Proto Man's streams of Atomic Fire were melting the ice covering the floor, causing a layer of water to rise. The wet floor made it easier on the combatants as it was far less slippery than the ice.

"Zero," Blues called, glancing at the blonde who was hanging back, looking for an opening. "Get over there and take him out! We'll cover you!"

"Got it!" Zero replied. He dashed forward, sending ripples through the water. Zero II followed closely, his own saber in hand. However, as they approached Freeze Man's hiding place, he popped out and ran his fists into the ground. Water splashed upward and quickly froze, the cold spreading like a shockwave through the room and catching the approaching melee fighters off guard.

The move left the two Zeros trapped in ankle-deep ice. Before they could break free, Freeze Man pelted them repeatedly with more of his frozen spheres. Blues held to his word, however, and the four ranged fighters immediately trained their weapons on the robot master, driving him away from the two blondes. This allowed them to start cutting themselves out of the ice.

Not to be outdone, Freeze Man turned his gauntlets into twin busters. Aiming them up upward, he began spraying frozen vapor into the room. The smoky gas spread rapidly through the enclosed space, encasing everything in a chilly, miserable fog.

The gas continued to flood the room as Zero and Zero II finished freeing themselves; by now, the only thing that Rock could make out of the two was the glow of their Z-Sabers. As the seconds passed, it became increasingly difficult to see anything around him, even where his own buster was pointed.

Then there was a loud clang. "Dammit!"

Rock recognized Bass's voice; the black robot must have stumbled into something. The blue bomber remained in place to avoid a similar accident and quickly fumbled through his vision modes. Thermal proved entirely useless; the gas was too cold and even masked his own heat signature, much less Freeze Man's. Night vision was no good either, as his vision was just as clouded. Telescopic vision would be entirely useless.

Then his mind turned to a rarely-used system Doctor Light had installed in him several years ago. He had never needed to use his sonar systems in combat before, but it looked like as good a time as any to give it a shot. He closed his eyes, and adjusted his passive sonar to try to pick up movement as he stood perfectly still.

The firing of his allies' weapons gave their positions to Rock, as well as where they were aiming. The blasts were very random and Rock was grateful they hadn't hit each other yet. He kept listening; the hum of the Z-Sabers mixing with the whine of plasma. Finally Rock picked up something odd. It was a strange hissing noise coming from one corner of the room. He raised an eyebrow and flipped to Atomic Fire. He charged his shot, and then unleashed a fireball from his Mega Buster that streaked through the frigid air, leaving a trail of falling condensation.

There was a cry of pain from the corner. Rock smiled as he heard the tell-tale hiss of Freeze Man's mist weapon suddenly stop.

"Did someone hit him?" Bass yelled, from right behind Rock's ear. Rock winced, telling himself that Bass didn't realize he was so close. Of course, knowing Bass, that might not have stopped him...

The icy fog began to clear as more plasma blasts cut through the air, equalizing the temperature in the room. Freeze Man was standing atop another mainframe, arms folded and his armor severely burned.

"There you are!" Bass shouted again. He unleashed a charged blast toward the robot master, which was simply blocked by another quick ice shield. The shot shattered the shield again, but left a small chunk of ice in Freeze Man's hand. Sidestepping another shot from X, he lobbed the ice ball at the ceiling.

"What was that supposed to accomplish?" Zero asked, hearing the ice ball shatter above.

"Tsk, thou will find out in a moment," Freeze Man replied, his voice bemused.

A rattle followed, and then they realized what he had done. The frozen gas had solidified dripping water into wide, sharp stalactites, and Freeze Man's attack knocked them loose. In an instant, the entire ceiling's worth of icicles crashed downward. The team quickly tried to take cover, but the raining spikes left no room to maneuver, sending the robots reeling from the painful strikes from above.

Taking advantage of his opponents' confusion, Freeze Man launched an ice bolt at the distracted Zero II. He then darted closer, attempting to knock away his Z-Saber. But the red warrior had recovered by now and brought up his energy shield. Freeze Man's momentum continued to carry him forward and he lashed out with his fist, striking the center of the shield above Zero II's gauntlet. The unit began to spark and fizzle, the green energy barrier instantly dissipating. The blonde muttered a curse and brought around his saber to force the robot master to back away. Freeze Man quickly dodged but the weapon clipped his side, leaving another gash in his armor.

The robot master retreated, only to run directly into the path of Blues and Bass. Both leveled streams of Atomic Fire at the icy-armored robot, creating clouds of steam as they hit his frigid body.

"How do you like that?" Bass yelled, grinning savagely. This was what he lived for, the thrill of battle. Artificial adrenaline surged through his body and pounded through his head, sharpening his senses.

Freeze Man's eyes narrowed. "Thou dost vex me," he proclaimed, his buster gathering energy. "Now it is time I stopped this jest!" He launched three rapid ice shots at Blues. The red robot rolled to the side and the ice sailed harmlessly past, striking the wall behind him. Unexpectedly, however, instead of merely shattering the ice broke into smaller projectiles which ricocheted back into the room.

One of the ice pieces struck X in the back, lodging just below his chest armor. He winced, removing the fragment. It hadn't penetrated his bodysuit, but would no doubt leave a pressure bruise. This weapon was no joke… it reminded him of Chill Penguin's Shotgun Ice. "Take this!" X shouted, firing off a charged shot in retaliation. He managed to strike Freeze Man before he could bring up an ice shield in defense.

Rocked, but not yet defeated, the robot master prepared another round of ice. He aimed towards X, only to be suddenly rammed from behind by Zero. The red Hunter's shoulder charge sent Freeze Man stumbling forward. His weapon misfired and the ice bounced off the ceiling and shattered, missing his opponents.

Before Freeze Man could regain his balance and turn back to Zero, he found himself facing Blues. The red robot smiled and calmly laid a hand on Freeze Man's chest, giving him a shove backwards. The Robot Master's eyes widened as he skidded across the frozen floor back towards Zero. The blonde and his saber were waiting. A slash later and Freeze Man sported several more marks across his armor. Before the red Hunter could finish the job, however, Freeze Man ducked and spun under Zero's swing and shot an ice bullet into the blonde's chest at short range. The force sent Zero skidding away and into a wall.

With a snort, Freeze Man turned to continue the battle, only to meet Zero II's fist. The Resistance fighter laid into the Robot Master with a flurry of close ranged, mostly bare-fisted attacks. The Wily-bot found himself unable to retaliate against the sudden onslaught. To finish the combo, Zero II drew his Z-Saber and slashed at Freeze Man's side, leaving yet another gash in his armor, sparks dancing and coolant leaking from the injury. The robot master staggered and Zero II helped him away, kicking his legs so he collapsed backwards onto the frozen floor. A moment later, the robot looked up to find the Z-saber pointed at his throat.

"It's over," Zero II stated.

"No it's not!" Zero shouted angrily. He pulled out a shard of ice that was wedged into the gap between his armor and bodysuit, and hurled it at Freeze Man. It bounced off the back of his helmet. "How do you like it, you stupid piece of junk?"

"That was less than sporting," Freeze Man grumbled, ignoring Zero II's saber. "Alas, I have accomplished my mission and there is no reason to tarry longer. Fare thee well!" As Zero II attempted to slice the weapon downward Freeze Man kicked out, knocking the red warrior's feet out from under him. The blonde toppled over, saber sliding from his grasp and spinning across the floor. Freeze Man kicked against the ice to propel himself backwards, hitting a console several feet away. Before anyone could make a move to stop him, he used it to flip himself to his feet, struck a dramatic pose, and then simply vanished in the familiar twinkle of teleportation. Across the room the lost beam saber hummed in the empty air, heavy with water vapor and the ensuing calm.

Zero managed to push himself away from the wall, his armor coated with half-melted slush. "How did he do that?" he demanded. "His teleporter shouldn't be working here!"

"Wily must have found a way to rig something that works in this era," said Blues, frowning slightly. He slid over to Rock and began brushing ice off the top of the boy's helmet, much to his annoyance. "We should have realized that earlier... it's the only way Freeze Man could have gotten down here in the first place."

"That looked more like a signal from the transporters they have in this era than one from our own," X replied. He glanced over at Zero II. "What do you think?"

The Resistance fighter had risen silently to his feet, retrieving the lost saber. He deactivated it with a soft hiss. His face was unreadable, blue eyes lost in the shadows of the dimly lit room. "It's possible. Perhaps your enemies managed to steal a transerver."

"Those things are pretty big though, right?" Zero asked, brushing more ice crystals from his hair. "They wouldn't be able to carry it far..."

"They are probably still somewhere in Neo Arcadia," Zero II agreed.

"Well, at least we know they're still in this era, for the moment," said X. "Though Wily now knows we've followed him. Hopefully he won't bolt..."

"That's not Wily's style," Rock piped up. "He'll stay until he's done what he came for or we beat him."

"We may be able to trace the transerver signal back to its source," Zero II told them. "I'll ask Ciel to do that once we get back."

"What was he doing down here anyway, though?" X asked, looking around at the ice-coated computers. "He indicated that he'd accomplished whatever he came for..."

"Probably messing with all these computers," Zero said, pointing to a mainframe. "Though for what, I don't know."

Zero II walked over to the largest computer, shimmering behind its icy shell. "...It looks normal," he said. "But I don't know..."

"Maybe Ciel can send a team down here to investigate before the place thaws," X said.

Zero II nodded. "I'll ask."

"Great, so can we get out of this place already?" Bass said, crossing his arms. "Before our processors freeze solid?"

"All right," Zero II said evenly. He tapped the side of his helmet. "Zero here. Six to transport out." A moment later, the room was filled by the sparkle of the transerver, the lights dancing against the crystalline walls before fading and leaving the base to its silent, frozen gloom.

------

Ciel was waiting for their arrival, leading them quickly out of the control room to avoid questions by the other Resistance staff. Once back in her laboratory, she began to question them.

"How was the mission?" she asked, glancing from Zero II to X.

"The base was attacked by one of Dr. Wily's Robot Masters," X replied. "He managed to disable most of the place's defenses..."

"We repelled him, but he escaped," Zero II said flatly. "We think he did something to the computer systems."

"We thought you might want to send a team there before any reinforcements come," X added.

Ciel nodded. "That's probably the best idea. We can't allow him to do anything that might harm the people in Neo Arcadia."

"He used a transerver to escape," Zero II said. "We hoped you could trace the signal."

"We'll get right on it," Ciel replied. Then she frowned, noticing sparks coming from the blonde's left gauntlet. "Did you break the Shield Boomerang again?" she said, with a disapproving tone.

Zero II raised his arm to study the device that had been emitting the green energy shield he had used fighting Freeze Man. "...Looks like it."

Ciel shook her head. "Cerveau's not going to be happy with you..." He merely shrugged in acknowledgement.

"Who's Cerveau?" Rock asked curiously.

"He's the head mechanic," Ciel replied. She looked them over, noting the new battle marks on their armor. "If you need any repairs, he should be able to help you."

"I think we're okay," X replied, glancing to the others. They nodded in return.

"Well, we'll start tracing the signal, but it will be a little while," Ciel said.

"We should go get cleaned up, then," said Blues, glancing at the slush coating his armor and scarf.

"Yeah," said Rock, rubbing his arms. "I need a hot shower. I'm freezing!"

"You should go give the boomerang to Cerveau, Zero," Ciel said. "I think he's been working on something else for you, too."

He nodded, and the group left Ciel's lab, the Light family and Bass heading in one direction while Zero II turned off onto a side corridor. Zero, at the back of the group, paused at the turnoff. Making his decision, he turned and jogged after his twin.

"Hey, wait up!" he called.

The Resistance warrior paused, looking back over his shoulder. "Yes?" he asked.

Zero pulled alongside him. "Mind if I tag along with you?" Zero II didn't reply, and Zero faltered. "Cause well... you know... we haven't really gotten a chance to talk yet, and I thought..."

"Go ahead," Zero II said. He turned away from his twin and began walking again.

Zero fell into step with him. Several moments passed without speaking. Seeing that the other man had no intention of starting the conversation, the Hunter said finally, "So, um... how long have you been with the Resistance?"

Zero II continued looking forward. "Two and a half years."

"Wow, that's not very long," Zero said.

"A lot has happened in that time," his twin said curtly.

Zero gave a wry smile. "I can imagine... I don't envy your situation at all."

The other man did not reply. Their footsteps echoed off the metal walls of the deserted corridor. Zero frowned slightly, not liking the silence. "So, what's it like, being a guerilla fighter?" he asked, as they walked by a row of closed side-doors. "What do you all do around here?"

"We plan and execute missions to weaken Weil's grip on Neo Arcadia," Zero II replied.

"No, I meant, in your free time," Zero said. "For fun, you know." They passed a pair of reploids pushing a cart loaded with metallic crates. The two gave the pair an odd look, but Zero II's impassive face seemed to stop them from commenting.

"If I'm not needed for a mission, then I train for the next time I am," he answered, as they turned a corner.

"...Sounds kind of boring," Zero said. "Don't you do anything for yourself? Watch TV, have a hobby... heck, even read, though don't ever let X know I said that."

"Television is controlled by Neo Arcadian propaganda," Zero II said shortly. "And books are almost impossible to find." He pushed through a doorway leading to a stairwell which winded its way downward into the base.

"What about video games?" Zero asked, following him down the steps. Zero II shook his head. "Well, you can at least _talk _to people, can't you?"

"Ciel and I have discussions sometimes," he replied.

"Only sometimes?" Zero asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zero II shrugged noncommittally, and pulled open the door to exit the stairway. They stepped out into another corridor, identical to the first. "She's very busy most of the time."

Zero frowned. "So... you're saying that basically all you do is fight? What kind of a life is that?"

Zero II's eyes darkened. He halted in the middle of the hallway and turned to face his twin. "Look, stop dancing around and just say it outright."

"...What?" Zero said, taking an involuntary step backwards, startled by the Resistance warrior's dangerous tone.

"I told you, just say it," Zero II snapped back. The man's blue eyes were icy and his hands slowly clenched into fists at his sides. "I know I'm not interesting or outgoing or charismatic. I know I'm not _you_ anymore. And I know you don't like me."

Zero could only listen in shock while his double spoke. Zero II was actually _angry_. And it was not the cool, calculated, 'you're a Maverick and I have to destroy you' anger he wielded in battle. This was anger directed at himself as much as at Zero. This was emotional anger, stemming from his true self rather than the stony mask he had worn until now.

"Don't deny it," Zero II continued, seeing Zero's confusion. "That's what this is about. You don't like me at all, and you don't want to become me. I bet you've been desperately thinking of ways to make sure I never exist ever since you came here. Well, go ahead. I don't care. I'm sure everyone would be better off that way."

"Zero..." Zero said, at a loss for words. "That's not..."

"Yes, it is," Zero II snapped. "And I know it is because I'd do the same thing in your position."

The two stood staring at one another for several long moments, the silence sharper than a beam saber. Then Zero II suddenly went rigid, his face reverting back to its usual expressionless mask, as though he had just realized how much of his private inner self he had inadvertently revealed.

"I'll see you later," he said stiffly, and immediately spun around and began walking quickly up the corridor. Zero watched him leave, unable to move.

"Well, crap," he muttered finally to the empty air around him. "I just got into a fight with myself and lost."

* * *


	19. Escape Velocity

* * *

CHAPTER NINETEEN

_Escape Velocity_

* * *

Metal boots pinged on the corridor floor and the door to the Light brothers' room swished open. Zero stepped inside, only to find himself confronted by an incredibly irate X. 

"Zero!" the blue Hunter cried, grabbing the blonde's shoulder and shoving him further into the room. He gestured wildly at his surroundings. "What is _this?_"

The room looked like a war zone. The dressers had been overturned, beds undone, blankets scattered everywhere. There were suspicious looking scuff marks on the ceiling and one of the beds had collapsed. "What _happened _here?" X demanded, turning to Zero, arms akimbo.

"I told you, we had a pillow fight," Bass said, from the side of the room. He leaned against the wall, sheets and remnants of the dressers at his feet. Blues was in the room as well, looking with dismay at the wreckage of his bed. The sound of running water showed that Rock was taking the hot shower he had requested.

"Using busters and the Z-saber?" X asked.

"It's called a _fight_ for a reason," Bass replied.

X rolled his eyes. "Really, you two are the most irresponsible..." He turned back to Zero, only to notice that the blonde was not paying attention to him. He was staring at the wall, a very un-Zero like downcast expression on his face. "...Zero? Are you okay?"

"X, I hate myself," he answered, running a hand through his hair.

Startled by the uncharacteristic statement, X blinked, then frowned. "Zero... I know that Zero II is a bit prickly—"

"No, I meant I hate _myself_. As in me." The blonde sank wearily onto the remains of a chair. "I am a complete idiot."

Bass raised an eyebrow, moving away from the wall to stand beside his brother. "What made you decide to admit that now?"

"Bass, you ought to be more considerate..." X began.

Zero shook his head, giving a weak smile. "No, it's okay, X. That's just the way he is. I just... ah, I don't know..."

X frowned again, then looked at Bass, who shrugged. Blues caught his eye and inclined his head towards the door. Nodding back, X gently touched Zero's arm. "Come on, we need to talk," he said, nudging him toward the exit. Zero stood up obediently and began walking. X glanced over his shoulder as he reached the door. "And Bass, you'd better start cleaning, because this is where you're sleeping tonight." Ignoring the black armored robot's indignant reply, he stepped out into the corridor and led Zero down the hall.

"Where are we going?" Zero asked, as the blue Hunter ushered him into the elevator.

"We're taking a page out of Blues' book," X replied, as the lift began to rise. "To the roof."

The roof of the Resistance base was a relatively wide, metal space, flanked by several guard towers. There was no one else up there, and X led Zero to the railing, where someone had placed a small bench overlooking the desert. The sun was beginning to set, turning the sand blood-red.

"So what happened, Zero?" X asked, after they were both seated. "Last I saw you had followed Zero II..."

"I... got into an argument with him," Zero replied. He ran a hand through his hair, disrupting his ponytail. "I said some stupid things, and he got mad... and rightfully so. He basically accused me of disliking him and wishing he didn't exist." He folded his hands in his lap. "...And the horrible thing is, he's right. And I hate myself for it."

"...I see," said X.

"He's not a bad person... I just... I don't know what to do," Zero admitted, staring at his hands. "He's right... I don't want to become him. There are too many things I don't want to forget, X. Too many people..."

"I understand," X replied. "I... can't say that I want you to become him, either. But... I don't know, Zero. Looking at this place... Everything we knew and cared about and fought for is gone. Maybe it's better you don't remember."

"I believe any memory, no matter how bittersweet, is better than none at all, X," Zero replied softly.

"That's true," X said, smiling sadly. "But at least he seems relatively content here. And you can't say he's not fighting for a good cause."

"Yeah, but..." He shook his head, turning away.

"But what?" X coaxed.

"But it shouldn't be like this, X," he replied finally. "I promised you I wasn't going to leave again... and look what's happened."

"Look, Z..." X said, tugging lightly on a strand of his hair so he would turn to face him. "What you told me yesterday holds on my part, as well, you know. You're my best friend, and that's never going to change. Even if you don't remember me..." Zero tried to turn away again, but X put a hand on his shoulder and continued. "Even if you don't remember, I'm not going to stop caring about you."

"X..." Zero said, but then shook his head and smiled. "...Thanks, buddy."

"Now stop moping," X said, giving him a light shove. "That's my job."

Zero laughed, and returned the shove. "Okay, I get it." But then his face darkened again, looking out on the setting sun. "But even still... I am really looking forward to getting home and putting this place out of my mind."

"...I know what you mean, Zero," X replied.

Zero sighed, then reached over and gave X's hand a brief squeeze before standing up again. "Come on, we'd better get back and make sure Bass isn't causing trouble." Then he looked slightly sheepish. "And um... sorry about the room."

"Well, you're going to be the ones sleeping in it," X said cheerfully.

Zero rolled his eyes. "Thanks again, buddy. Now let's go."

------

"Come on, Blues, don't do this again," Rock said grumpily, watching his brother's sleeping form. The three brothers had moved into the intact room for the night, allowing Bass and Zero to salvage what they could from the remains of their pillow fight. Once again, Blues was sound asleep long after Rock and X had already awoken. They had made the red robot take one of the bottom bunks this time, but neither brother wanted to get close enough to poke him.

"We ought to ask Zero II to find us something sharp," X replied, from across the room. He was sitting on his own bed, reading a book.

"...where did you get that from?" Rock asked, staring at the object.

"You think I wear these enormous boots for show?" X replied.

Rock blinked. "That's a good idea, actually..."

"Morning, people," Zero announced, walking into the room and promptly shoving Blues out of the bed. Ignoring the older robot's retaliatory fist, he sat on the vacated bunk. "How is everyone this fine day?"

"Well, you're cheerful," X replied, handing Blues his sunglasses and helping to disentangle him from his sheets.

"I slept very well," Zero said.

"It was probably the pajamas," Bass said cheekily, as he walked through the door as well. "They made you feel pretty and restful."

"Shut it," Zero said evenly.

"Well, I'm just glad you're feeling better," said X. He sat back down on the bed and folded his arms, leaning back against the wall. "Now all we have to worry about is Wily's next move."

"Hopefully he'll show himself soon," Bass muttered. "I'd like to get out of this Orwellian nightmare." The others turned to glance oddly at him, and he rolled his eyes. "What? I'm not an idiot, jeez."

"I didn't know you liked dystopian fiction, Bass," said X, interest flickering on his face.

"I don't," Bass said bluntly. "But I'm not stupid."

"Right," X replied, looking rather disappointed. Off to the side, Zero tried to stifle a chuckle.

After X glared at the blonde and he managed to contain himself, there was a pause of silence for several moments. "I kinda wish I had brought something to do," Rock muttered finally, sinking onto the bed. "I think carrying my Game Boy with me might be wise from now on..."

"Don't worry, Rocky. There's bound to be something you can find to do around here," Blues replied with a smile. Rock knew very well what he was implying; though tea with Alouette would only work for so long. He rolled his eyes at his brother in reply.

A knock then came at the door. "Huh? Who is it?" Zero asked, looking at the door. "Come in! It's open!"

The automatic door slid open, and Zero II stood on the other side, arms at his sides. Rock smiled at him. "Hey, Zero. Any word on our next mission?"

"No," he returned. "But X needs to come with me for the moment. Ciel has called for him again."

"Well, all right." X stood up, and set the book on his bed beside where he had been sitting. He approached Zero II and the red warrior turned with him as he past.

The door slid shut behind them both, and they proceeded down the bland, drab corridor. X felt a sensation of gloom fall over him. It always happened when he walked the halls. They were so cold feeling; it was like being trapped in a warehouse.

"So, what was it that Ciel needed me for?" X asked, glancing over to the silent Resistance member beside him.

"You'll find out," Zero II replied. His tone was not short, but it did have enough authority to put the question to rest immediately. They reached the elevator in a matter of moments, and they went down a floor from their quarters.

X was tempted to ask why they were going down, considering the command center and Ciel's quarters were several floors up. However, the blue Hunter decided against it figuring he would get only a single sentence non-answer from his companion. He followed Zero obediently down the hall and through a door, leading to another small corridor. It looked decidedly identical to the one on the floor above. Zero led him to one of the doors lining the walls.

"She's waiting for us in here," Zero II said, rapping on the door once with his fist. The portal slid opened, and he stepped inside slowly. X followed a second later, and he could see the blonde scientist in the room as he entered.

"You wanted to see me, Ciel?" X asked.

"Well, yes and no," she replied, turning toward him. "Though I enjoy your company, I wasn't the one who asked to see you. They did." She pointed a little further into the room. X followed her gaze, and his eyes widened. Several different emotions flashed through his mind at once as he saw the two Reploids they had met upon their arrival to this time period seated across the room.

"Simone? Jean-Luc?" X said shakily, looking at the visitors. Relief flushed into his systems, and he loosened slightly. "Thank goodness you're okay." There was a long and awkward pause. X's body tensed up again, seeing the eyes of the two Reploids in front of him piercing him to his core. He was now regretting his somewhat rash decision to tell the pair his true name. It had seemed a good idea at the time, but now, faced with them...

"It was thanks to you, after all," Simone said finally, breaking the quiet.

Ciel nodded to Zero II, and they quickly excused themselves from the room. The door shut behind them, but suddenly everything felt more real to X, and he could feel his body tensing even more. He knew they wouldn't hurt him, but the Hunter couldn't help but feel anxious.

"…Are you fidgeting?" Simone gently asked, tilting her head slightly.

X realized that he was slightly with his hands, but he promptly stopped. "Sorry," X said, sheepishly.

"Ciel… she told us about you," Jean-Luc said. His face was oddly neutral, but X thought he saw a darkness in the reploid's eyes. That thought sent a shiver through his mind. "…So you really are Mega Man X. _The_ Mega Man X."

"Yeah, I am," X quietly replied. He paused. "I'm… sorry I lied to you about it at first."

"Well, really. What else were you supposed to do?" Simone laughed lightly. "You certainly couldn't tell us outright that you were X. We understand why you did it now that we know the whole story."

"...Ciel told you about where we're from, then?" X asked.

"Yes, but we swore to keep it secret. No one else will hear it from us." She answered back to him with a smile. "Not that they'd really believe us anyway."

"I'm glad they found you," X said, finally releasing some of his tension.

"Ciel told us that you personally requested aid for us after you arrived here," Jean-Luc replied, placing a hand on one of Simone's. "I must admit, I was surprised when a squad of Resistance soldiers showed up to rescue us. I could hardly believe my eyes."

"But they were real," said Simone. "And… now we're here. Probably as safe as we'll ever get in our lives."

"The Resistance has offered us posts here in the base once we're settled and ready. Strictly voluntary service," Jean-Luc continued. "But I intend to serve once we're settled in here. Manufacturing weapons was what Simone and I were good at in Neo Arcadia; and now I can finally put that skill to a cause I believe in."

X smiled. "Things are looking up, then?"

"Oh yes," Jean-Luc returned. "And… well, we owe it to you and your friends. Without you, we probably wouldn't have made it much longer in that warehouse." There was a pause, but he continued. "You and the others really came through for us."

"But don't think we've forgiven you for that shock you gave us," Simone added.

X resisted the urge to flinch. The female reploid's unwitting comment brought back bad memories of Elec Man. "Yeah, sorry about that," he sheepishly said.

Jean-Luc's expression darkened after a moment of quiet. "It's just... funny that we'd be saved by the very figure we had come to hate. It's very strange. I… don't really understand it all anymore."

"Trust me, I'm just as confused as you are about how this all happened. I understand _what_ happened… just not _how._" X ran a hand through his hair. "And I wish I knew of a way to set things right. I was trying to help make a peaceful world, and I failed. I wish I knew _why_ I failed." The Hunter glanced upward, his eyes fixing blankly at one of the lamps embedded in the ceiling.

The other two reploids exchanged a glance with each other, and then looked at X, still gazing numbly at the light. "You genuinely don't like what you see," Jean-Luc said after a short silence.

"Of course I don't," X returned, weakly. "How could I? It seems that everything I do is destined to mean nothing in the end. This era is entirely opposite of what I've been fighting for in my time..."

"Then keep fighting to fix it," he replied. "You have the strength, the ability, and the will. Even if you can't alter the past, you can help the future." The worker's face lightened as he saw the Hunter's eyes move from above to meet his own gaze. "Like how you helped us."

X nodded slowly. "You're right," he answered, letting out a short sigh. "Though I still don't like it..."

"Though, I have learned one thing from all of this," Simone cut in, standing up from her bed. She approached the blue Hunter slowly. "The legends about X being a hero were very true." She extended a hand and rested it gently on his left. "Thank you, Mega Man X."

X was silent for an instant, that chill that had been haunting him the whole time disappearing in a flash. "You're welcome."

------

Rock sighed, glaring down one of the seemingly endless hallways in the Resistance base. Bored with sitting in the room and not wanting to hang around with Zero and Bass, he had gone for a walk. Now he had somehow managed to get himself lost again. This time, though, Alouette wasn't around to guide him back to civilization. He absently rubbed the back of his neck, trying to remember the path he had taken to get here. With a sigh, he turned and walked back through the drab hallways. He passed rows of identical doors, marked simply with a letter and a number. Rock knew this meant they were apartments, remembering the room he and his siblings shared. However, the designation showed he was on the wrong floor.

He passed through a large automatic door that simply read "Corridor," the numerical designation having worn off and not been repainted. How anyone found their way around in this base was truly beyond him. After spending several more minutes wondering through this nameless corridor, he finally stumbled upon an elevator. Relieved, he stepped inside and pressed the button for the second floor and his room.

The door slid shut, and the machine creaked to life around him. Rock hummed tunelessly to himself as the elevator descended, waiting patiently for his number to light up. Suddenly though, the elevator halted part way to his floor. Startled, Rock took a step back as the doors opened.

Zero II stepped onto the elevator, his expression neutral. Seeing Rock, he gave the boy an acknowledging nod. He then pressed the button for the first floor. The doors closed and the elevator rumbled to life once more.

Rock watched the blonde warrior for a few moments as the elevator continued to descend. The man seemed perfectly content to remain silent, but Rock was never one to pass up conversation. "Hey Zero," he said tentatively, and the warrior turned to glance at him. "Where are you off to?"

"Cerveau wants to see me," he replied.

Rock cocked his head to the side. "Who was that again?"

"Our chief engineer." His gaze returned to the front of the elevator.

"Oh! Did he fix your shield thingy?" Rock asked, eyes widening in excitement. "That was really cool! And really useful, too!"

"Yes, it can be. When it works." He glanced down at his gauntlet and gave a subtle shake of his head.

"Hey, would you mind if I came to see it installed?" Rock asked eagerly. "I mean, I don't really have anything else to do..."

Zero II frowned. "I don't know..." Rock's face fell, and the blonde's expression softened slightly. "Cerveau is a bit overprotective of his equipment, Rock. I don't know if he'd want you in there."

"Well, I may not look like it, but I was built to be Dr. Light's lab assistant," Rock pressed. "I won't touch anything, I promise!"

"I'm not worried about you breaking anything." Zero II looked down at Rock. "Cerveau's the one you have to impress."

"It'll be fine," Rock said. "Please?"

Zero II gave a slow nod as the elevator halted on the main floor. He exited at a deliberate pace, and Rock diligently followed. The walk took them through a series of honeycomb doors, but Zero II knew well where he was going, so it didn't take long to reach a door labeled simply 'Lab'. With a mechanical hum and the grinding of gears, the door opened wide and Rock entered after the Resistance warrior.

Cerveau's lab wasn't as large as Rock had imagined, but it had no shortage of equipment. Every available inch of space was crowded with mysterious devices, blinking and humming as they worked. Most of the machines set up in the lab were beyond Rock's understanding.

"Cerveau," Zero II said, raising his voice slightly over the noise of the machinery. "I'm here."

A head popped out from around one of the taller machines. The reploid had black hair and a visor covered his eyes, instantly reminding Rock of Blues. However, the reploid looked and carried himself as an older man, and he wore a green uniform the same shade as most of the guards. When he walked out from behind the machine, it became obvious that his uniform was more like a robe or a lab coat than a combat uniform.

"Zero, excellent timing," the older-looking man said, pulling off the oil-soaked gloves he had been wearing and producing a new, clean pair from a pocket of his coat. "I'd like to reinstall the Shield Boomerang unit right away." He walked closer to Zero II, but then noticed the little blue visitor beside him. "…Zero, who is this child, and why is he here with you?"

"This is Rock, one of our visitors," Zero II said evenly. "He wanted to see the lab."

"Zero, you know I don't like having unauthorized personnel in my laboratory," Cerveau said sternly, and Rock wilted slightly under his gaze. "Especially children. They end up breaking things… not purposefully, of course. But regardless, it ends up causing problems."

"You have to repair my equipment all the time, Cerveau," Zero II pointed out.

"Thus my comment about children breaking things," Cerveau said dryly, and Rock had to stifle a grin. "This is the third time I've had to fix your boomerang, Zero."

Zero II frowned slightly, but Rock thought he saw a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Regardless, Rock won't cause you any problems," he said. "I'll take responsibility for him."

"Well, if you vouch for him, I suppose it will do no harm to let him stay," Cerveau conceded. He turned to Rock. "Just don't touch anything, alright?"

"No problem!" Rock smiled, giving a thumbs up.

"Anyway, Zero," Cerveau said, wheeling around and disappearing between two large machines. "You'll be happy to know that I've tweaked the Shield Boomerang's functions slightly to make it less likely to break down in the future."

"Good," was Zero II's noncommittal reply.

"Of course, that will only help as long as you're actually trying to keep your equipment in one piece." Zero II made a dismissive noise which Rock could tell Cerveau chose to ignore. The mechanic reappeared from the back of the room, carrying a slender rod-like object. In the middle of the rod was a circular unit, which Rock guessed was where the shield formed. "Now then, let's get this hooked in."

Cerveau took Zero II's left arm and forced him to lay it down on a nearby worktable. He opened the gauntlet with a small tool, revealing a compartment about the same size as the rod lying on the table. Rock figured Cerveau must have modified Zero II's gauntlets himself, given the ease with which the unit slipped in. The mechanic tightened a few bolts and a moment later, he used the same tool to close the compartment. The grey center of the device now protruded from the armor. "Do me a favor and test it out," he said.

Zero II nodded and moved his arm away from the two onlookers. There was a quick hum and the green energy shield flitted to life. The energy within it spiraled like a slow-moving typhoon, making it appear like a whirlpool with the gray unit as the center.

"Good!" said Cerveau cheerfully. "It's working better than ever."

"I can still throw it, right?" Zero II asked, twisting his arm experimentally.

"Of course. Why you would though, I don't know." The mechanic gave the blonde a disapproving look. "That's part of the reason why you break it so often."

Zero II paused. "If you didn't want me to throw it, why did you call it a Shield _Boomerang_?"

Cerveau waved off the question. "It sounds better than 'shield unit' or something equally inane."

"But you designed the projector to shoot off at high speed and return."

Cerveau scoffed. "I had to give it some sort of offensive function as a last resort weapon. I didn't expect you to use it so frequently in combat."

"If you say so," Zero II said.

"Excuse me," Rock chimed in. "Did you use some sort of homing program to get the boomerang to return?"

"Yes, actually," Cerveau said. "I programmed it myself."

"It looks pretty neat," said Rock. "I've seen programs like that before for other weapons, but nothing quite like what you made."

"Thank you, son," said Cerveau, seeming to inflate slightly upon hearing praise for his design skills. "Zero, why can't you be as well-mannered as this lad?"

"Five minutes ago you were afraid he was going to destroy your lab," Zero II pointed out.

He waved a hand absently, slipping back into the maze of machinery. "You can't honestly expect me to remember that. Anyway, we're moving on. I have something else for you!" He rummaged behind a large console and emerged triumphantly brandishing a medium sized metal pole. "A brand new weapon!"

Cerveau held out the unit so the other two could see it clearly. It was about five feet long and colored silver, with a dark grey handgrip in the middle. There also appeared to be some sort of extendable handle in the grip. Zero II put a hand to his chin. "So this is what you've been busy with."

"Yes," said Cerveau, sounding pleased with himself. "I've found a way to implement all three of your previous weapons into a single unit. I'm sure you remember your Triple Rod and Chain Rod?" Zero II nodded. "Well, I realized that with some effort, I could modify the Recoil Rod to contain the powers of your previous weapons as well." He handed the spear to the blonde warrior, who inspected it carefully, running a hand along the shaft. "You can attack with it normally much like you did with the Triple Rod. Also, the head of the spear is extendable, so you can hit things from further away than your saber can."

Zero II spun the rod in his hands like a short staff, and then turned it on. A green energy spearhead lit up the end of the rod. He thrust the weapon forward, and it extended out several more feet.

"With that, it was easy to install Chain Rod functionality into it. You can launch the head out like a hook, and its energy tether will allow you to either grapple with it, or you could do like what you did a lot; rip parts off of enemies. Whichever works best for you. There's a handle in the grip for you to use while grappling." Cerveau folded his arms. "Finally, you can use the spear to vault yourself skyward if you build up a substantial charge. Both ends of the unit work the same way, so you could feasibly fight enemies all around you."

Zero II deactivated the weapon, letting it rest across his palms. "So what did you call it?"

"Well, after thinking on it for a while and searching the thesaurus, I decided to call it the Trinity Rod," said Cerveau, with only a little pride. "I'm sure you'll find it useful."

"Probably. Once I get used to it," Zero II replied.

"It shouldn't take you long. Enjoy it, Zero. And… try not to break it."

"I'll keep it in mind."

"Oh, and one final thing..." Cerveau took the weapon from Zero II and tapped the butt of the weapon on the ground three times in quick succession. The two ends shot inwards, leaving him holding only the handle. "It's collapsible, too. Should make it easier to carry. I've even made a special holster for you to use." He rummaged in a pocket, withdrawing a heavy white plastic holster attached to a similarly-colored belt. He placed the rod in its holder and then offered the collapsed weapon to the red warrior.

"Thank you, Cerveau," said Zero II, accepting the device. "It'll be helpful." He buckled the belt around his waist, allowing the rod to hang down just behind the beam saber holstered on his upper leg.

"That's so cool, Zero!" said Rock cheerfully. "I wish I had awesome weapons like that! I mean, I can use the Robot Master weapons but yours are just way cooler!"

"You have the advantage of not being able to drop your weapon," Zero II replied evenly.

"...That's true," said Rock, looking thoughtful. "Never thought about it that way!"

"Just what are you discussing?" Cerveau asked, looking confused.

Zero II was about to answer, when a beep emanated from his helmet. He tapped the side with two fingers. "Zero here." Rock watched as he listened to the person on the other end for a moment. Finally, he said, "All right. I'm on my way."

"What's up?" Rock asked, as the Resistance fighter removed the hand from his helmet and turned back to him.

"Ciel wants us," he replied. "Something's come up. Come on."

------

The group had congregated in the command center, which this time held a full staff of support workers. Ciel motioned for Zero II and Rock to join her around the holographic display, where the rest of the group was huddled looking as inconspicuous as they could.

"Good, everyone's here," Ciel said, looking around at the assembled reploids. "I'll get straight to the point." She moved to a small panel and pressed a button. The holographic projector turned on fully, and in a bright green three-dimensional show of light, the shape of a building formed. The facility looked massive and industrial, so Rock assumed it would be somewhere in Neo Arcadia.

"I think I've determined just what Freeze Man did in the Antarctic Computer Base," Ciel quietly explained. "From everything you've told me and the recent events I'm about to explain to you, it would seem he placed a virus into the systems of Neo Arcadia."

"A virus? Isn't that really dangerous?" Bass asked, an unusual tone of concern creeping into his voice. "Is it affecting the life support systems?"

Ciel shook her head. "Fortunately, not to our knowledge, Bass."

"I'll bet I know what the viruses are doing," Rock said. "If it was Freeze Man who planted them, he must be using them to make all of the computers…"

"If you finish that sentence, so help me I'll hurt you," Bass threatened.

Rock ignored the threat. "Freeze!" Bass growled audibly, but Ciel gave a light laugh at the blue robot's joke.

"Please, Rock. I appreciate your humor, but we must be serious." She pointed up at the hologram. "But to an extent, what you said is correct. We believe the virus has disabled and frozen Neo Arcadian communications. There appears to be a severe outage all along the grid, disabling their ability to organize effectively."

"Then what does this building have to do with the virus?" Rock piped up again.

"Our back door into the Neo Arcadian defense grid indicates the teleportation shield surrounding this facility has been disabled. We were barely able to detect it through the virus's interference, but there's no doubt about it. Something is going on at this plant, and it surely has to relate to the attack on the Computer Base."

"How can you be sure, Ciel?" Blues asked.

"In the brief window where we could access the security systems, no other facility had a shield drop. Furthermore, it seems the defense systems within the factory there have been activated."

"Factory?" X asked.

"It's a weapons plant in northeastern Neo Arcadia," Ciel replied. "And if what you told me about Dr. Wily is correct, it's a prime target for his objectives. He most likely has operatives in the plant right now, stealing supplies."

"Wait, a weapons plant?" Zero said, frowning. "Why do I feel like I've heard that before...?"

"Jean-Luc mentioned a weapons plant in that area," X replied softly. "He said it had a... reputation."

Ciel nodded. "Yes, this is most likely the same place, X. This plant, and the ones surrounding it, are well known for being particularly brutal to their workers... and suffer a large number of uninvestigated workplace 'accidents'."

"Then why haven't you all done something about it, yet?" Bass demanded, folding his arms.

The scientist smiled softly. "While I very much would like too, Bass, the situation is the same as with the Computer Base. Under normal circumstances, there is no way our forces could hope to infiltrate a place like that. It's one of the largest manufacturing centers for golems and other heavy mechaniloids. Even now... it's probably extremely dangerous in there. However, it's a risk I'm forced to ask you to take, not only because of Wily, but because we believe there are Reploid workers still stuck inside that factory." She closed her eyes briefly. "There's no telling what might happen to them in this chaos. Zero, can I count on you to lead any survivors to safety?"

"Of course," Zero II stoically replied.

"That, and stopping the attack on the plant will be your primary objectives," Ciel continued. "But I should warn you… it will not be long before Neo Arcadia figures out what's really going on and sends reinforcements, so you'd best hurry."

"Anything else you could tell us?" Blues asked. "Like how long we actually have?"

"Well, based on information we've received, security lockdowns are not uncommon at this plant, so the Neo Arcadians may initially assume it's standard procedure in an event like this. But even if that's the case, you can't count on that alone. Be swift."

"Got it," Zero II replied, walking over to the Trans Server. "I'm ready." The others quickly followed him onto the platform. "Operator, begin the transfer procedure." A nod came from the dark haired operator, and she began typing furiously on the keyboard.

"Zero, be careful!" Ciel called to him.

"Yeah, I will be," the simple reply came, and the team was whisked away in several flashes of light.

------

The group solidified into a scene of chaos.

They had landed in a hall adjoining the main corridor of the complex, placing them just outside the action. The main passage before them was filled with a steady stream of reploids. They surged past the party, seemingly unaware of their new observers. Dozens of reploids—male, female, of all sizes and designs—formed a stampede running from some unseen danger.

"What's going on?" Rock asked, over the sound of the panicked crowd. But his answer came a moment later as screams began to echo towards them. A rumbling followed quickly and Zero II drew his buster gun, shouting, "It's a golem!"

Before Rock could do anything the creature smashed into view. It was enormous, filling the entire hallway, its steel frame bending the wall supports as it scraped through the passage. Despite its massive frame, it managed to float a few feet above the ground. It was little more than a giant armored pair of arms attached to a conical body, coated in thick armor. The fleeing reploids were no match for its strength. The slower were trapped and crushed by its massive fists as it ploughed onward, the faster caught by the energy beams that shot from its head. Coolant and limbs splattered across the floor. It was a massacre.

Some of the reploids ducked into the party's passage to escape the behemoth, dashing heedlessly past the group. Rock formed his buster, his eyes wide and his arm shaking. So much death, so quickly... how could this have happened?

"We have to retreat," Zero II said, energy beginning to glow around the barrel of his gun.

"But... the people..." Rock said faintly.

"We'll be slaughtered if we stay. There's no room to maneuver," Zero II replied.

"Right," X agreed, his own weapon readied. "Back that way, everyone!"

The group turned, racing down the corridor away from the menacing roar of the golem. Unfortunately, the creature noticed them, and their drawn weapons. Registering them as a threat, its huge form swiveled and then began rolling up their corridor, the walls around it twisting and buckling as it passed.

"...Damn, this is not good," Zero muttered, glancing over his shoulder at the creature. The party had enough of a head start that they were still ahead of the range of its laser, but they were losing ground every second. They were also hampered by the 20XX trio, who did not have the added speed of a dash function.

"If we stopped to call for a trans-server exit, we'd be killed," X agreed, his buster fully charged and on standby. "And there's no way we can fight in this corridor..."

"Look! Up ahead!" Rock called. The hallway widened onto a large open-raftered room. The floor was covered with concrete and there were giant crates scattered here and there. It looked like a loading bay of some kind, although all production appeared to have been halted.

"As soon as we reach that, fan out," Zero II ordered. "We have to take this down, now."

"Uh oh," said X, looking further ahead. The others quickly saw what had caught his attention. A group of reploids were huddled at the far end of the room, desperately trying to open one of the large doors to the outside. The door remained tightly locked despite their efforts.

"They're sitting targets..." Blues muttered.

"I'll take care of them," Zero II said shortly. "The rest of you, get rid of the golem!" He activated his dash thrusters, speeding ahead of the group and out of the corridor.

The others did not argue, quickening their pace as best they could and bursting out into the loading bay. Moments later the golem followed, the sound of its massive engines echoing throughout the room. X wheeled to the left with Rock while Zero, Bass, and Blues ran right, preparing to distract the monster from the civilians.

Across the room, the reploids looked up in fear as the Golem smashed its way into the room. "Stand away from the door!" Zero II ordered, as he dashed towards them. As frightened of the strange red-armored newcomer as the giant mechaniloid, they quickly moved to obey, standing away from the door and the inoperable control panel.

Zero II ignored the panel completely, instead slashing his saber across the metal door. The steel sizzled and melted where the energy sword made contact. A few swipes later and he had made an impromptu rectangular opening. One kick was enough to break the section away from the rest of the door and create an escape to the outside.

"All of you, get out of here," he ordered, as the grateful reploids moved towards the exit. Not waiting to see the last of the group disappear outside, the red reploid turned back to the Golem, drawing his buster pistol and dashing towards the fray.

Back on the other side of the room, X unleashed a charged blast at the mechaniloid's head. The blast left a visible dent in its armor. X smiled slightly and began to charge his weapon again. The X-Buster was more effective than he had expected against the metal monster, but it still had plenty of fight in it. The metallic terror opened what resembled a mouth and fired a laser blast at the blue Hunter. X slipped away using his dash and easily kept away from it as the Golem tried to track him.

Taking this chance, Blues and Mega Man both emerged from behind cover and launched a pair of charged blasts at the machine, damaging the head even further. The machine tried to rush Rock, its thrusters forcing it forward at a high speed, but the blue warrior was speedy enough to slide out of its way. The machine was far too slow to turn, and while it skidded to a halt, Zero II caught it in the head with a pistol shot.

The Golem, now greatly confused by the number of potentially lethal targets, spun around and tried to get its bearings. It shot another laser at X, but before it could even begin to lock on to him, it received another charged blast to the back of the head. The mechaniloid rocked forward, and before it could regain stablity, Zero leapt on top of it and jammed his Z-Saber into the casing surrounding its vital components. Sparks went flying from the machine, and its hovering systems began to stutter horribly. The machine wobbled as its hover jets began to give way, and Zero withdrew his weapon and dash-jumped away gracefully.

It fell over with a deafening crash. The front part of the machine exploded violently, the blast ripping into its generator and setting off a small chain reaction of explosions. When the smoke cleared, only the husk of the mechaniloid's armor plating remained on the loading bay floor.

"Well, that was invigorating," Zero remarked, looking back at Bass, nonchalantly who blew away a puff of steam from his buster. "Almost too easy."

"Don't get too proud of yourself," Zero II returned, sheathing his pistol. "That was only a basic model, and only one of many. Let's move out. We don't have time to sit around."

"But where do we go?" Rock asked. "It doesn't look like what we're looking for is here."

"We probably need to go back up that corridor," Zero said, a tinge of concern creeping in his voice. "It's a good bet that where the workers were running _from_ is where we need to go."

Nods were quickly exchanged and they ran back down the corridor they had only moments ago used for an escape route. When they reached the T branch where they originally arrived, Zero II pressed himself alongside the wall. He glanced down the hall where the monstrosity had charged from and observed nothing but a very damaged hallway, filled with dead reploids.

"…Looks like it's clear," he muttered. "Let's move on." He stepped out into the hall, his drawn saber in one hand. Taking a quickened but alert pace, he led the team through the hallway, ignoring the drips and hisses from the devastated pipes and the slippery coolant left on the floor from the machine's victims.

Rock felt his stomach turn as he followed behind the resistance fighter's lead, trying desperately not to look at the cold faces of the dead reploids scattered through the hall. He instead moved to walk alongside Blues, who quietly accepted the hand Rock slipped into his without reacting. This place was terrible and frightening, but the little blue robot tried to swallow the fear with every step he took. If he let the scene get to him, he knew that he wouldn't be able to do anything to help the other reploids trapped in this facility. And to Rock, that was worse than any fear.

Passing several branching paths along the way, they followed signs posted on the walls pointing to the main manufacturing chambers. If anything was important in the factory, it was most likely there, so that was where Wily's troops would be as well. As they drew closer to their objective, they discovered fewer and fewer slain reploids and more disabled and destroyed Pantheons. They too, looked like they were in the path of the berserk golem robot. But as they progressed, they could hear the sounds of clashing metal further up the hall, and the noise continued to grow louder.

There were even more corpses of the blue drones by the broken door at the end of the hall. What remained of the double doors were twisted pieces of steel buried amid the pile of corpses. They approached the portal cautiously, the sound of clanging metal reaching a crescendo. Suddenly, a loud noise shook the ground as a golem crashed through the wall by the door, sending debris flying into the hallway. Rock covered his head with his arms as he was showered by concrete dust.

The giant armored machine completely ignored the group, however, activating its thrusters and blasted forward through the hole again. Another loud clash of steel followed, and the heroes cautiously moved to follow the sound, peering around the broken door and into the next room.

Rock was astonished to see two golem units fighting with each other, completely wrecking the production facility. The conveyer belts were shattered, machines blown apart, and bodies of workers and Pantheons lay lifeless, amid scattered parts and small fires burning all across the production room floor. In the midst of it all, these two behemoths furiously launched themselves at one another. The deactivated frames of other Golems lay throughout the room; some destroyed, others simply not functioning. A maze of twisted metal had replaced what was supposed to be an orderly assembly line.

The golem that had crashed through the wall lunged forward at the other, its armored fists plowing into the other's side. A massive dent was left behind in the plating second golem, and it reeled backward into another set of machinery. It countered with a laser blast, which merely bounced off the armor of the first until it was aimed at the head. The laser penetrated the armor of the machine, and the hiss of melting metal filled the air and reverberated off the walls.

Its head exploded violently, and the machine fell over and detonated.

The final golem patrolled left a short way, but quickly turned its head as its sensors picked up its visitors.

"Get out of the way!" Zero II shouted, shoving both Rock and Bass aside as the green laser beam tore down the middle of the hallway, narrowly missing all three of them.

"It has us targeted! Shoot it, X!" Zero shouted.

"I can't get a lock on it!" X replied, the hum of his fully charged weapon filling the air.

"I can," Blues stated, raising his shield. His armor's color flipped to yellow, and he peeked out around the door frame and quickly shot a Thunder Beam into the room. The laser stopped an instant later, the powerful electric attack interfering with the mechaniloid's systems. "Come on!" he shouted, charging into the room shield first.

The five quickly dispersed into the room and took cover behind various pieces of large debris. Just as they finally settled in, the golem recalibrated itself and turned to try to find the attacker that proved the greatest threat.

It decided to target Blues. Rock watched as the behemoth shot another laser toward him, and it began eating through the twisted metal machine the red robot had taken cover behind. Blues slipped away from where the beam was penetrating and charged his weapon for a counterattack.

He popped out from his hiding place in time to see another blast of Thunder Beam, this time from Bass, hit the machine and stop the laser again. Rock also saw the opportunity and unleashed a stream of Atomic Fire. The golem, having been covered in all sorts of coolants and oils from its rampage, was quickly engulfed in roaring flames.

Blinded and confused by the searing flames, the Golem spun around rapidly, trying to extinguish itself, only to be blasted by both Blues and Zero II. Its head exploded loudly just as a shot from the X Buster reached it. The blue energy streaked across the room and destroyed what was probably the final functional machine in the room.

"That went well," Zero snorted. "Those things aren't so tough."

"Only so long as you avoid the laser," Zero II returned, glaring at him. "That's a serious piece of hardware."

"Good plan, using your special weapon like that, Rocky," Blues congratulated while approaching his brother. "Very good call."

"Thanks, Blues!" Rock beamed, flipping back to his Mega Buster.

"Save the celebration for later," Bass said bluntly.

Zero II moved through the debris, stopping by a small directory on the wall. He gave it a cursory glance and then said, "There's no one here. Let's move on up a floor." The Resistance fighter continued walking to a large set of double doors further along the production floor, which had a small control panel next to it. Unfortunately, the panel had been blown out, and this earned a frown from the warrior. "Looks like we're taking the long way. There's a stairwell over here."

The five robots progressed silently through the staircase and climbed up a flight of stairs to the main above-ground level. They came out into another set of corridors. Dead Pantheons lay against the walls here as well, with a few dead workers around them. Despite this, there seemed to be no activity.

Zero took point, leading the team forward quickly. As they passed by a four way junction, Rock turned his head.

He thought he had seen something move swiftly down the hallway. He raised an eyebrow, thinking he was imagining things. But a moment later, it zipped past again, leaving a slight blur behind for only an instant.

"Something's over there," Rock said, pointing.

Bass and Blues turned their heads, but saw nothing.

"Are you sure?" Bass asked. "Because I sure as heck don't see anything."

"No matter, just keep moving," Zero II said, flatly. "We need to find out what's going on here. We don't have time to chase phantoms."

Zero again pushed forward, though his stance had shifted to be more defensive since Rock issued his warning. At least someone looked like they were taking him seriously. The march continued in silence for several more moments.

X was walking alongside Zero II several paces behind the main group. The blonde was glancing behind him, scanning the corridor with one finger on the trigger of his buster gun. "...You okay?" X asked finally, after the other had said nothing for several minutes. The blonde gave him a questioning look. "I mean... you seem a little more on edge than usual."

The Resistance fighter nodded curtly. "I'm fine."

X smiled sadly. "You still aren't comfortable around us, are you?"

Zero II considered that. "No... that's not it entirely. But it is... interesting... meeting you like this."

They passed a row of glass windows, some shattered by plasma fire, the room beyond dark and empty. "...I really don't understand it..." X said softly.

Zero II looked sideways at the blue Hunter. "What?"

X smiled, shaking his head. "All we've both ever wanted is for everyone, human and reploid, to live in peace. And yet we basically ended up on opposite sides. What happened...? Where did I go wrong...?"

"No one 'went wrong', X," the blonde said. "What happened was beyond your control or mine. And it's in the past now, anyway. All we can do is move forward."

"Rather ironic, isn't it...?" X gave a soft laugh.

"I suppose," said Zero II. "...We'd better catch up to them." He nodded towards the slowly growing distance between the team members. "We're losing pace."

Wordlessly, they continued through the halls. The corridors were eerily silent; there were no more sounds of Golems on destructive rampages, and the patrols seemed to have stopped. The silence caused an unease that crept through Rock's circuitry. This whole plant was creepy; grim death machines being manufactured on the assembly lines by oppressed Reploids. Their release haunted Rock's mind. He couldn't begin to fathom why the Neo Arcadians would turn weapons on their own workers. The Golems hadn't been that hard to destroy, all things considered. But they were still a terrifying weapon; Rock immediately understood why they were feared. He silently prayed that he'd never run across one again.

But then, in the middle of his thoughts, he was startled when he heard a noise behind him. He spun around and primed his Mega Buster. Carefully avoiding X and Zero II, he pointed his weapon down the hall to see a streak zip down one of the side corridors. "There it is again," Rock said. "Did you guys see it that time?"

"No, but I definitely heard it," Blues replied, cocking his head slightly. "Be on your guard. I doubt it's friendly."

"I'll watch our backs," Zero II stated, turning around and arming his pistol. "Let's keep moving. We don't have much time."

Their pace quickened as they continued down the corridors to the main storage room. It was an unusually long walk, but with the service elevator out of order, there was little other option. Moments before they reached the storeroom, Zero abruptly paused and signaled for everyone else to hold.

"What is it?" Bass asked, eyes darting around the hall.

"Heard something," Zero replied, signaling to the door next to them. "Check it out. Standard opening procedures apply." He motioned for the others to come closer, and they all pressed themselves against the wall next to the door, except for Zero. He activated his Z-Saber and sliced through the door instantly, then kicked open its remnants. X was beside him with his gun pointing into the room.

"They're coming!" A voice from within the room shouted. "Take cover!" The red Hunter watched as several Reploid workers dove behind overturned tables and desks to hide from what they thought would be a heavy onslaught of attacks.

Zero raised an eyebrow at this, but put away his Z-Saber. "Uh, we're not here to hurt you," he said, scanning the room which to a casual glance was now devoid of reploid life. "We're here to rescue you." He held out his empty palms in a gesture of peace.

"How can we trust you?" A female voice shot back from somewhere behind a desk.

"If we wanted to harm you, wouldn't we have just started attacking by now? Just come out of your hiding spots." Zero tapped his boot impatiently while he waited. No response came. "All right, fine. If that's what you want, next time a Pantheon patrol comes by, you can deal with them yourselves." He turned to leave the room, but gave a wink to X and the others.

Rock noticed Zero's signal and knew what he was trying to do, so he didn't say anything.

"Wait… you're not with them?" the first reploid said, his voice sounding less fearful and more curious.

"Nope. Just came to help," Zero said. "But if you're not interested…" he trailed off, and he could hear the clatter of boots moving. Several workers emerged from behind the various makeshift barricades, and poured out into the middle of the room. "…Wow, there's a lot of you here, aren't there?"

Rock counted almost two dozen workers that had joined together in the center of the room. His eyes widened; most of them looked exhausted, disheveled, and frightened. "There are that many of you?" He said, not really thinking before he spoke.

"No, that's not all of us. There are more of us in the next room attached to this one. Another couple of dozen, actually…"

"So there's like… fifty of you hiding out here?" Bass demanded. "Wow. How'd you not get spotted?

"This place is pretty far out of the way and the Golems usually don't usually get into the small side rooms, so a lot of us hide out here in the meantime and wait for things to cool off," said the female reploid who had spoken earlier. Her plain uniform was tattered and stained, and she appeared to be bleeding coolant from an injury on her arm. Several other reploids seemed to have minor injuries as well. "But is it all clear? Are we free to go back to work?"

"…No, you're just free," Zero II said, walking into the room. "We're here to rescue you. Not just from the Golems, but this whole place, if you're all willing to go."

"…Where did you have in mind?" a man standing near the front of the group asked, a cautious tone overtaking his voice.

"I'm offering you a chance to join the Resistance against Weil's tyranny."

A clamor started up amongst the group, many voices shouting out at once. "…The Resistance came to help us?" "I can hardly believe it!" "It's a miracle!" Hearing the commotion, the reploids from the next room over came pouring in. The noise level grew quickly with the added people, but Zero cleared his throat loudly. Zero II shot the red Hunter a look, but it was actually more of a 'thank you' than anything else. He stepped up onto an overturned desk so everyone in the room could see him clearly.

"Listen," he said, scanning the crowd. "If any of you don't want to join us, say so and leave now." There was silence. No one moved. "…Good." The Resistance fighter put a finger to his helmet. "Ciel? I need a major Trans prepared. Yeah. I think there's about fifty people here. Yes, five-zero. They're refugee workers we managed to rescue. Thanks." Zero removed the finger from his helmet. "Prepare to transport out of here. All of you. And keep order once your transport is complete, is that clear?" Zero II asked. Several people nodded, and everyone remained quiet. "Good."

He motioned for the party to retreat back into the corridor. A moment later, a golden glow spread over the refugees and they began flashing into energy and out of sight in rapid succession.

"Wow. We just won over a bunch of new members for the Resistance, huh?" Rock asked, looking in at the now-empty room.

"Looks like it, Rocky," Blues replied. "They'll be much better off now, I'm sure. But since we've taken care of that, we need to move on. We're not far from the storage room."

They pressed on to the large double doors at the end of the corridor. Opening the door slowly and ignoring the loud creak it made, they stepped inside. The storage room was massive in size, filled with crates of various sorts. Still, there was plenty of space to move around in, though there were more boxes than Rock could count stacked against the walls.

"I'm guessing all of these contain war material." Bass snorted. "Overkill as usual. Typical for armies, I guess." He scanned the walls, but when nothing jumped out at them immediately he settled back into a state of alert caution.

Rock relaxed slightly himself, but that did not last long. He caught a flicker of something in the corner of his eye. "Hey!" he hissed, raising his buster and tugging on Blues' elbow with his free hand. "I think I saw that thing again..."

"Where?" the older robot muttered back. Rock's eyes darted around the room, and then caught a flash of movement to the right. Instinctively, he fired.

The blur vanished instantly, replaced by a reploid standing just beyond the mark the plasma had made on the wall. He leaned nonchalantly against a crate as though he had always been there. The newcomer was fairly tall, about the same height as Zero, and clad in red armor over a black bodysuit. A yellow, v-shaped ornamentation adorned the front of his helmet, mirrored by a similar design on his chest armor.

"Well, that explains it," Blues said dryly, arming his buster. "Quick Man is too fast for normal sensors to pick up."

The reploid identified as Quick Man smiled, seemingly unaffected by the guns now trained on him. "Nice to see you again too, Proto Man," he said calmly. "And of course you as well, Mega Man."

"Another Robot Master, then?" X asked, holding his buster steady.

"At your service," Quick replied, giving a mock bow. Then he blurred out and was suddenly on the other side of the room. The party jerked their weapons to the right. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a delivery to finish," he said, as four busters and a pistol targeted him again.

"Like heck we're letting you run off with a load of weapons," Bass snapped.

Quick Man folding his arms. "Look, I'm not looking for a fight. Just stay out of my way and everything will be cool, okay?"

"Until Wily decides to bathe the planet in futuristic weapons fire," said Blues.

Quick shrugged. "I'm just doing my job," he said, and hopped up to sit on one of the crates. He let his legs swing idly over the side of the metal container. "If it were up to me, I wouldn't be here. I don't care about world domination and all that."

"Then why do you still follow Wily?" X asked.

"Why does Mega Man follow Dr. Light?" Quick countered. "He built me. I owe him something."

"But he doesn't owe you anything," Bass returned. "He won't hesitate to scrap you if he feels like it."

Quick's eyes narrowed. "I don't intend to give him a reason to."

"So you're just going to go along with what he tells you, even though you don't agree with it?" X asked.

"It's not my place to question it," Quick said evenly. "It's not like I was created to live, anyway."

"That's probably the most depressing thing I've ever heard someone say, and I hang around X all the time," said Zero. X glared at him.

"Maybe, but I don't really care," Quick said, shrugging. "Hakuna Matata and all that, y'know? We're lucky to exist at all, and if that existence gets cut off, who are we to complain?"

"But..." Rock began.

"We need to end this," Zero II said, breaking in to the conversation. "The longer we talk, the closer Neo Arcadia gets to finding us."

"He has a point," said Zero. "I suppose on philosophy, we'll have to agree to disagree, Quick Man. And I'm going to have to disagree with you taking those weapons, too. Hand them over or we'll take them by force."

Quick Man sighed, spreading his hands in a defeated gesture. "Well, if I can't talk you out of it..." He flicked his right wrist and light surrounded it, growing and solidifying into a bright yellow boomerang. He let it dangle from his hand in a cocky, careless fashion. "Get ready, Light-bots!"

"_Light-bot_s?" Bass said, livid. "You tin pile of scrap, you _know_ who I was built by!"

"Sorry, Bass," Quick apologized easily. "It's just easier to refer to you as a collective. Now, let's begin!"

He tossed the boomerang at Zero and vanished in the same instant. The blonde ducked to avoid the projectile, only to have it caught just behind his head and then brought smashing downward. The red Hunter collapsed from the stunning blow and Quick darted away again, boomerang spinning in another deadly arc across the room.

"Damn it!" Bass swore, his buster on automatic and firing plasma fruitlessly at the blur whirling around the room. "He's too fast to track!" Even aiming as quickly as he could, he was still a second behind the Robot Master's path.

Meanwhile, X helped Zero to his feet, the blonde still dazed as his sensors recalibrated from the sudden blow. However, just as he regained his balance, a push from the passing Quick Man sent the two friends toppling to the ground once more. X aimed his buster from the ground as Quick continued, but the shot went wild and left a burnt mark on one of the nearby crates.

"Bass! Watch where you point that thing!" Rock yelped, as Bass's buster, still tracking Quick Man, turned in his direction. The little blue robot ducked and the plasma shot over his head, impacting on the far wall.

"Sorry!" Bass shouted back, sounding insincere. Zero and X were back on their knees by now, watching their adversary warily as they struggled upright.

Zero II appeared to have had enough of the chase. As the speedster sped by, he lashed out with his Z-saber. The energy sword sliced through the air, a whirl of green energy... and Quick Man merely leapt nimbly over the blade, continuing his course unharmed.

"This is ridiculous," Zero muttered, finally standing again, his own saber in a guard position. "There's six of us and we can't even touch him!"

Blues, meanwhile, watched Quick Man sail past, his boomerang following a few moments later and narrowly missing Rock's head. Calmly, the red robot armed his buster, color scheme shifting.

Blues' carefully calculated plan took seconds to unfold. A blast of ice enveloped the space just ahead of Quick Man. Blues had not aimed the Freeze Cracker at the speeding robot, but instead on the floor directly in his path. The icy mist enveloped the tile, solidifying into a sleek, shimmering sheet that was completely unavoidable. Seeing the obstruction, the speedster tried to turn, but his momentum carried him forward directly onto the icy tile.

Three things happened in rapid succession. First, Quick's legs were jerked violently out from under him as he lost traction. He then skidded across the icy floor and slammed headlong into the wall, momentarily stunning and more importantly, stopping him. Blues then followed up the attack with a quick flip back to his buster and a plasma shot, which tore directly through Quick's right arm as though it were made of paper. Sparks rioted along the injury and the boomerang he had been clutching fell from his now-useless fingers.

"..Wow," said Bass, glancing at the damage. "He's not too tough..."

"That's the drawback of being fast," X said. "You can't wear heavy armor."

Quick Man staggered to his feet, but it was obvious how unsteady he was; his legs shook noticeably. He grunted in pain as he tried to move his right arm in vain. "Agh, damn it!" He looked back at the heroes, but gave a special glare to Proto Man. "You think you're so clever, huh? Well, if you hadn't been so slow getting here, I wouldn't have already gotten away with everything the Doc wanted."

"What?" said Rock, alarmed and dismayed. "Then what were you still doing here?"

"That's none of your concern," Quick Man replied, his voice pained and angered. "I'm out of here, and don't wait up!" Before anyone could pipe up, Quick Man illuminated with white light for a brief instant, before vanishing away in a beam of light.

"Well, that's that, then. We couldn't stop him in time," Zero said, frustrated tone in his voice.

"Unless he was bluffing about the equipment," said Blues.

"I doubt it," said Zero II quietly. "This storeroom should be holding much more than it is."

"Well, regardless, you asked a very good question, Rock," said X. "Why did he stay here if his job was done?"

"Questions are great and all," Bass replied, furrowing his brow, "but in case you two forgot, we need to get the heck out of here before we get overrun by Pantheons. I'd rather not be around when the rest of Neo Arcadia decides to show up."

"Bass is right," Zero II stated. "We've done all we can. We should withdraw." He placed a finger to the side of his helmet. "Ciel? We're done here. Bring us home."

------

Several corridors away, the facility's security control room stood silent, lit by the glow of a bank of television screens. The Pantheon operator lay motionless, its single red eye dim and cracked as though a blunt object had been smashed through its head. Red coolant dripped down its face and pooled onto the floor.

The door swished open. A man stepped inside, boots clicking on the polished metal floor. His green eyes swept across the computers and the deactivated guard, noting the absence of movement.

"No one here, either," he reported, lowering the short beam saber he held in his right hand and walking further into the room. "Looks like we missed them."

A woman slipped past him, the long, ornate wing-like protrusions on her blue and white helmet narrowly avoiding knocking into his own green back-mounted jetpack. "They couldn't have left long ago, though," she said, brushing invisible specks of dirt from her vest. Her armor was in the usual general style of 22XX reploids, blue over a blue-grey jumpsuit. She walked over to the bank of computers, surveying the dead operator while leaning on her spear. "These Pantheons look freshly wrecked."

A third person entered the room, and the green-armored man moved further out of the way to allow him passage. The newcomer was clad in red, and was more heavily outfitted than his two companions. His twin guns gave him more the appearance of a small tank than a reploid. "So we're not going to get to fight anything? Man, at this rate, I'm gonna rust away before I see another decent battle..."

"It's only been three weeks, Fefnir," the first man said dryly, running one hand along the wings of his helmet in an almost absent gesture. "You'll have plenty of opportunities to indulge yourself later." He turned to the woman. "Leviathan, could you see what's on the surveillance tapes?"

"Right away, oh illustrious General Harpuia," the woman replied, with a mock salute. She pushed the chair containing the Pantheon away with her spear. Pulling up another, she sunk gracefully into it and began accessing the main computer. Boxes and lists of data streamed past as she typed.

"Y'know, I never stop being envious that you can do that, Levi," Fefnir said, taking a seat beside her and leaning his head on his gauntleted wrists. "I don't have the patience for computers."

"You don't have the patience for anything, Fef," she teased, fingers still flying over the keys. "Just be thankful I had the foresight to build us a backdoor into Neo Arcadia's system before we left. Even I'm not good enough to hack it from the outside."

"Have you found anything?" Harpuia asked, standing behind them with folded arms.

"Does it look like I have, Harpy?" she returned. "Honestly, you're worse than Fef sometimes."

"You really think we'll find something about Master X here?" Fefnir asked, turning to his green-armored companion.

Harpuia shrugged. "He was last seen attacking Pantheons. Seeing the state of this base... it's a likely location to run into him."

"I don't understand how Master X could be back again," said Leviathan, managing to shake her head while not averting her eyes from the screen. "And especially fighting Pantheons. If this is just another... trick by that man... he wouldn't be killing his own troops."

"Well, the rumor says he destroyed a large number of Pantheons," Harpuia replied. "And given the lengths Weil is going to suppress that rumor... I'd say there must be some grain of truth."

"And Weil's not happy about it, that's for sure," said Fefnir.

"Which is all the more reason we need to discover what is going on," Harpuia returned.

"Aha!" Leviathan exclaimed, smiling. "Finally. Here's the security tape, guys."

The televisions around them blinked and then switched to show various parts of the facility, the timestamp showing footage from a short time ago. It was from after the initial stampede, and the corridors were mostly quiet, save for a few golems patrolling corridors and the last remaining fleeing workers. The three reploids watched intently. "Look, over there..." Fefnir said, as movement flickered on one of the monitors. There was a small cluster of figures, picking their way methodically through a corridor of dead pantheons. "Those people..."

Leviathan squinted at the screen. "They're not clear enough yet..."

The group passed from the range of one camera into another. "Huh. Looks like it was just the Resistance, Harpy," Leviathan said, as they finally walked closer. "See? There's Zero." The red-armored reploid was unmistakable, leading a group of other warriors.

"...Who're those guys with him, though?" Fefnir wondered, pointing at the screen. "They're not wearing the usual uniforms..."

"...Wait," said Harpuia. "Levi, can you pause that?"

Leviathan did so, freezing the frame onscreen. Harpuia indicated one of the figures trailing Zero. "That person..."

"He has hair just like Zero's," Fefnir replied, sounding confused.

"...Look!" said Leviathan suddenly. "Beside Zero... is that...?"

"Start playing it again," Harpuia ordered. Leviathan did so, and the group began walking again. The person moved out from Zero's shadow, allowing them to see him clearly.

"...That's Master X..." Harpuia breathed, staring at the screen.

"So the rumor was true," said Fefnir, looking awed. "But why's he with _Zero_?"

"Does this thing have audio?" Harpuia asked, turning quickly to Leviathan.

She frowned, gazing at the keyboard. "Only one of the cameras does, lousy cheapskates," she grumbled. Fast-forwarding the recording, she stopped it when the party moved into range.

"._..I really don't understand it..._" said the recording of X, as he walked underneath the camera.

"_What?_" Zero replied, glancing at his companion.

X shook his head. "_All we've both ever wanted is for everyone, human and reploid, to live in peace. And yet we basically ended up on opposite sides. What happened...? Where did I go wrong...?_"

"_No one 'went wrong', X,_" Zero replied. "_What happened was beyond your control or mine. And it's in the past now, anyway. All we can do is move forward._"

X chuckled slightly. "_Rather ironic, isn't it...?_"

"...They're out of range of the microphone," Leviathan said, as the pair turned a corner.

"That doesn't sound like a Copy X," said Harpuia, frowning.

"...He's speaking with Zero... cordially," said Fefnir.

The tape continued to run. The three turned back to the console as Quick Man appeared, and just as speedily vanished again. "Looks like that boomerang guy was the one who set off the alarms," Fefnir observed, as the robot master sped away.

"This whole situation makes no sense," said Harpuia, shaking his head. "Master X is alive, some unknown reploid robbed a Neo Arcadian facility, and Zero's group tried to _stop_ him. Why would Zero help Neo Arcadia? Why would _X_ help _Zero_?"

"And who were those others with Zero, anyway?" said Leviathan. "Like Fefnir said, that one has the same hairstyle as he does..."

"What're we going to do, Harpy?" Fefnir asked, turning to his companion. Leviathan turned also, looking just as expectant.

The green-armored reploid folded his arms. "We investigate. We have to."

"And what if Zero's somehow leading us into a trap?" said Leviathan.

Harpuia shook his head. "That's not his style, Levi. Something else is up, and I want to know what it is. If whatever is going on threatens the people of Neo Arcadia, whether it's this new X or that other reploid... it's our duty to stop it."

Fefnir nodded. "Right."

Harpuia took one last glance at the screen, then turned and began walking to the door. "Both of you, we're leaving. It won't be long before Neo Arcadia realizes there's something wrong here, and we shouldn't be around when they come to investigate."

"Gotcha, Harpy," Leviathan said, and began closing down the computer.

"Oh, and Levi..." Harpuia turned back to her. "Erase those video files. There's no sense... alarming anyone."

She nodded, and one by one, the screens went dark.

* * *


	20. A General Encounter

_A.N: I'm not even going to try to explain why this took so long. It's my fault, Triad was ready months ago. But eh... here it is? No more long hiatuses, scouts honor!_

* * *

CHAPTER TWENTY

_A General Encounter_

* * *

Grey metallic walls shimmered into view as the group rematerialized in the Resistance Base's command center. Rock stepped down from the platform, feeling a surge of relief speed through him. Though the base was not his home, it felt like paradise after a mission like that. The blue bomber had been in many dangerous situations over the years, but that weapons factory was perhaps the worst action he'd ever seen. Being in a calm, safe place and seeing Ciel approaching with a smile was a huge relief. 

"Welcome back, everyone," the young scientist said, halting a few feet away as the group finished exiting the trans-server. "Good work. You really pulled through on this mission."

"The refugees are safe, then?" Zero II asked, without bothering with pleasantries. "No problems?"

Ciel nodded, then brushed back a few strands of hair that had fallen loose from her headband. "A few of them had minor injuries, so we sent them to the medical ward to be checked over, but everyone's alive at least. What happened there, Zero?"

Zero II hesitated and looked away for a brief second. "There were Golems loose in the factory. One of Wily's robots was there, so I can only assume they were activated to try to stop him."

Ciel's expression immediately darkened, understanding the implications. "So… they were all you could find?"

The Resistance fighter shook his head. "No, there was another group that escaped into the city. Giving them a transfer wasn't feasible. The area was too dangerous."

"They should be okay, right, Zero II?" Rock asked.

Again the warrior hesitated. "I don't know."

That was not the answer Rock was hoping to hear. Possible fates of those workers who had fled through the doors ran through his mind. Would they escape safely? Or would they be shot down by Pantheons seeking to lock down the area? Could they even escape the grounds to begin with? They had never checked outside if any of the Golems had escaped outdoors, either… Rock fought away a shiver. Just contemplating it was unnerving. He blinked as Blues suddenly put a hand on his shoulder, obviously noticing the worried look on his little brother's face.

"So the robot master… what was he doing there?" Ciel asked, cutting through the silence that had fallen over the group.

"Stealing weapons, just as we thought," X replied, folding his arms. Then he frowned. "Though... it was very strange. Quick Man had already taken what he needed from the factory before we arrived, but he was still hanging around."

"Why would he do that?" Ciel asked, also frowning.

"No idea," Bass shrugged. "He probably just didn't want to go back to base and deal with Wily's old man smell." Rock stifled a snicker.

Zero rolled his eyes at Bass, then said, "But it is strange that he would continue to poke around such a dangerous area once his mission was complete. I guess we'll never know what he was doing."

"Any luck tracking Wily's location yet?" Blues asked Ciel, rubbing his fingers over the hem of his scarf.

The young scientist shook her head slowly. "I'm afraid not. We have a few leads, but it'll take more time before we can get a reliable read on his trans-server signals. I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait just a little longer."

"Great, more boredom," Bass muttered, sounding every inch the jaded teenager. He folded his arms. "Don't you have _anything_ to kill time?"

"Bass!" Rock hissed.

Ciel put up a hand. "It's okay, Rock." She turned to the Wily-bot, her expression heavily apologetic. Rock noticed Zero II's eyes jump to Bass, the future warrior's expression becoming slightly sourer than before.

"I'm sorry, Bass," she said quietly, shrugging apologetically. "I really wish there were something we could offer you, but outside of the personal possessions of our members, this base doesn't have much in the way of recreation. We've had to be pragmatic." She broke eye contact with the black robot, gazing toward the floor. "It took a miracle to build this base in the first place, let alone get it fully outfitted." She grew more distant, her eyes darkening into deep reminiscence. "All our funding goes into getting Energy Crystals, power cells, and armor to make sure our forces are equipped."

Ciel paused, looking like she wanted to say something else on the matter, but she instead gave a sigh. She paced over to a computer console and rested a hand on it. "It hasn't been without its fair share of trouble," she finally continued. "Boredom has hurt morale quite a bit; not to the point where there's any danger of mutiny, but it is definitely a problem. We've been trying to fix it, but even Neo Arcadia has a shortage of anything recreational, with Weil's recent crackdowns."

Bass's expression actually softened somewhat. Surprise welled up within Rock in seeing the normally selfish robot somehow empathize with the young scientist. The blue robot noticed Bass open his mouth slightly, but he halted his speech when Ciel continued speaking.

"Anyway, enough about that," she stated, confidence returning to her voice. "You know, I believe some of the Reploids you rescued would be quite happy to see you all again." She approached the group again, glancing at each of the warriors one at a time. "You did help them, after all." She fixed her gaze on Zero II last. "Would you go visit them? They should still be in the medical bay."

"I guess," Zero II replied, sounding much less than ecstatic.

"I know you're not really fond of such things," the scientist replied, sounding stern but with a twinkle in her blue eyes that Rock thought might be teasing. "It would mean a lot to them, though."

"All right," the blonde warrior relented, though Rock suspected it was just to make Ciel happy rather than the newcomers.

Rock, however, was much more enthused about meeting the people he'd helped rescue. "Do you mind if I go too?" he asked, looking up at the Resistance warrior. He also hoped that having someone else around might make the experience less of a trial for Zero II.

"If you want," he returned simply. Rock grinned happily, but his expression quickly returned to neutral the Resistance warrior turned to his younger brother. "Though, X… I think it'd be wiser if you and Zero didn't come."

The blue reploid's expression darkened. Rock could tell his sibling wanted to go as well; Zero II's refusal visibly disappointed him. "Well, if I remove my helmet most people don't even recognize me," X retorted, finally.

"Is that risk worth it?" Zero II asked. His tone was slightly chilly. "Every person that sees you is one more who could figure out who you are. Some Reploids are far more perceptive than others."

"And that could complicate everything for all of us," Blues added, folding his arms lightly. His tone was serious, though he was obviously avoiding sounding caustic or commanding. "I know that's not exactly something you want to hear, X, but it's true."

"To be fair, they didn't notice when we rescued them," Zero cut in.

"Zero, they were more concerned with getting out of there safely than figuring the identities of their rescuers," Bass returned, saving Zero II or Blues the trouble. "I'm with Zero II on this one. The less they see of us, the better." The Wily-bot glanced over to the Resistance warrior, who gave him a short approving nod. "You shouldn't go either," Bass continued, looking directly at Rock. "You'd find some way to screw everything up, and we don't need that."

"He's kept everything quiet so far," Blues cut in before Rock could argue. "I don't see the harm. But if you're that worried about it, Bass… why don't you go with him?"

Bass snorted. "I have better things to do with my time."

"Like what?" X said, still looking annoyed. "Wreck another room?"

"For a warm up," Bass returned with a rather frightening smirk.

"Of course," Blues sighed, putting a hand to his head. Rock knew that if his brother wasn't still wearing his helmet, he'd be rubbing at his temples. "Fine, I'll go along too. We may be able to find out something useful, anyway."

"I'll look after Bass and Zero, then," X sighed.

"You sound like we need to be babysat," Zero muttered.

"You _do._"

Zero II ignored the exchange, glancing at Rock. "Come on," he stated simply, and Rock was quick to obey and follow him out of the main control room, with Blues not far behind.

----

The medical bay actually was not far from the command room. The main door to the medical labs was almost adjacent to the command center; Rock decided that it was because the main trans-server was there and it would help the medical team's response time. Zero II opened the door, holding it for a brief second until Rock caught up.

They were immediately spotted by a nurse, who seemed to recognize Zero II and scurried over. The female reploid wore a set of what Rock guessed were the future's equivalent of scrubs. It wasn't much different from the uniforms the rest of the Resistance soldiers wore, but the vest was a bit longer and a light blue in hue. "Sir! I hope you're not hurt," she said, looking at Zero II. "We're swamped right now, so unless you have a serious injury, you're going to have quite a wait ahead of you."

"I'm fine," Zero II replied flatly.

"We're just here to pay a visit to the people we rescued," Rock explained. "That's okay, isn't it?"

The nurse turned and looked at him inquisitively. "Who are you? I've never seen you before."

"He's a visitor," Zero II replied sharply. "The other one is too. They're with me."

"If you say so, Zero," she replied with a shrug. "If you'll follow me, then, I'll take you to them. Most of them should still be in the waiting room, or are in outpatient care." She began walking, and the three followed right behind her.

"How many of them are actually hurt?" Blues asked. Rock glanced around at the corridor as they passed. Obviously he'd never been to a human clinic before, but the place still looked disturbingly blank. Rock was fairly certain that most doctors offices and even hospitals kept paintings or photographs on the corridor walls. These walls were as blank and metallic as any other in the base.

"Most of them aren't badly injured at all," the nurse replied. "Mainly what we're doing is just general scanning, checking for chronic problems and internal damage. But needless to say, doing full physical scans on several dozen reploids who are still anxious about being here is a bit of a chore." She put a hand through her brown hair. "It's stressful. They've all been clamoring about what happened at that factory. Sounds like a real nightmare… it was a good thing you were able to rescue them." The nurse was obviously very talkative, but all Zero II gave her in reply was a noncommittal noise.

As they approached a bend, Rock could hear voices coming from ahead. There were many people all talking at once, producing a mishmash of words and sounds that he couldn't begin to try to untangle. The voices grew louder as they approached, though most of them sounded largely positive or conversational. He could feel a little warmth build in his mind; these people were completely safe now. And they realized it too, from the tones of the voices.

They rounded the bend and emerged into a packed waiting room. The room was only meant to house a fraction of the number it currently held, as the lack of space and chairs would attest. Most of the rescued individuals were either standing, huddled into close groups, or sitting on the floor along the walls. The nurse halted, and a couple of the reploids in the room turned their heads. First they looked at her, then their vision shifted to Zero II and the other two visitors.

"Hey! It's the guys who saved us!" One of them called out over all the conversation. He rose from the floor and approached them. Several others soon followed his lead. It only took a moment for the team to be faced with almost every single reploid in the room, each offering profuse thanks, their hands to shake, and countless other words that Rock had a difficult time making out.

It was Blues who finally put up his hands and spoke over everyone to calm down. "One at a time, one a time. Is everyone okay?" There were nods and several words of approval. "That's good."

"Thanks for coming down to check on us," said the first reploid who had approached them, a slightly-built green haired male. "I admit that some of us were worried that you guys weren't much different than being in Neo Arcadia. But already we can see that you guys are a lot better than that."

Zero II nodded slowly. "Dr. Ciel will be happy to hear that."

"Yeah, seriously. You guys are life savers," another reploid piped up, prompting more nods and agreements.

"Hey, can I ask a question?" Rock asked, once the confusion had died down again. "Did you see anything unusual while the place was under attack?"

The green-haired man shook his head. "Most of us just ran and hid. Those Golems kill anything once the guards activate them." His expression darkened deeply. Rock winced, realizing he probably had said the wrong thing.

"I saw something," another reploid said tentatively, raising her hand. Zero II nodded at her to speak, and she did so, slightly nervously brushing her hand through short blonde hair. "I saw the reploid who broke into the factory and raised the alarm."

"Did you get a good look?" Rock asked, though he already knew what she was going to reply.

The woman nodded. "He was wearing red armor and had a weird yellow crest on his head. He was so fast. He destroyed the Pantheons before I even realized it! It was incredible!" She made a motion with her finger, moving it swiftly from left to right. "And then he saw me. I was scared, but… he didn't try to hurt me."

"Didn't hurt you?" Blues asked. His visor flashed in the fluorescent light as he jerked his head toward her. "What did he do?"

"It was the strangest thing," she continued, a slight red tinge now creeping into her cheeks. "He... picked me up, and ran me to the office where everyone was hiding. We were there so quick, I couldn't believe it. I didn't know any reploid could move that fast. But he saved me, I know it. I'd never have made it there on my own."

"Yeah, he helped me too," another male reploid said, emboldened by his comrade's story. "He literally pulled me out of the way of a Golem's laser cannon at the last second. Whoever that guy was, I want to thank him. Is he a member of the Resistance?"

"No," Zero II shook his head. "He's not."

The reploids looked at one another. "Then who is he?" asked the blonde woman.

"We don't know," Zero II's face turned more serious. "I don't suppose he said anything to any of you?"

"No, other than a 'you're welcome' after I thanked him for saving me," said the man who had recounted his own rescue story. Rock exchanged a puzzled glance with his older brother. The reploid gave him a curious look. "Is something wrong, kid?"

Rock shook his head. "It's just weird..." He hesitated for a second. "Hey, how many of you got help from him? Could you give me a show of hands?" Almost half of the reploids in the room did as told. The blue bomber's eyes widened. "Um, okay."

The green-haired reploid frowned. "So you don't know who he is? You sound like you think he should be an enemy or something. But, I mean, he saved like, half of us. That has to mean something, right?"

"Possibly," Blues distantly replied, adjusting his scarf quickly. "Anyway, enough about that. We're just glad you're all okay."

"Yes, thanks to you," said the man. "It'll take time, but I think we're going to like it here." He looked about quickly, drawing short nods from most of the others around him. "Say, when are we going to get issued our rooms and stuff?"

"Presumably after everyone has been checked for injuries," Zero II replied. His eyes darted between many of the reploids in the crowd, studying each one of them with a critical eye. "You all need to know, this will not be an easy life for all of you. We don't have much here, and the work will be difficult. Do you all think you can handle that?"

The green-haired reploid shrugged. "Hard work? Man, I doubt anything you throw at us could be worse than working in that hell hole of a factory. I'm happy to work if it means we have freedom."

"Mm," Zero nodded, expression becoming less stern. Rock noticed a smile attempting to tug at the reploid's lips, but ultimately failing.

"Hey, I hate to break up this touching spectacle," the voice of one of the doctors called out from above and behind the crowd. "We need the next wave of patients in here now." The doctor checked his datapad and looked back into the crowd. "Once we finish a couple more groups, we can give you your room assignments and you can all go get some well-deserved rest."

Some of the reploids began to file towards the doctor as the "leader" of the group glanced between the three heroes, nodding to each. "Thank you, you three. What do they call you?"

"I'm Rock," he answered, "and that's Blues, and he's Zero."

"I'll remember that," the reploid replied, smiling brightly. "Thanks again! I think we can all agree you that we're glad you took the time to come visit us. Take care of yourselves."

------

Night fell over the Resistance Base and life quieted down. Darkness enveloped the small room which had formerly belonged to Bass and Zero. Due to their earlier destruction of the adjoining room, however, the small space now belonged to the Light brothers. At the moment, X lay on his back on one of the bottom bunks, his eyes automatically focusing on the metal bedframe above him as he wondered what exactly had awoken him.

Then the sound came again, and X immediately slipped sideways off the bed, tugging off the recharge cable as he went. Standing up, bare feet cool on the tile floor, he could now see the source of the noise. Rock was asleep in the top bunk, though he did not look very restful. He was tossing about, threatening to accidentally pull out the recharge cable, and his eyes fluttered rapidly beneath tightly closed lids. He looked no different from a human having a nightmare—which X quickly surmised was what was happening.

Then the boy shifted slightly, his black hair spilling messily across the pillow, and made a soft whimpering sound as though something in his dream world had injured him. X was at his side instantly. "Rock, wake up," he said, slight urgency reaching his voice, reaching under the railing of the bed to shake his shoulder gently. "Rock!"

The young robot started at the sudden touch, his eyes snapping open. He tilted his head to the side, blue eyes wide and confused. "Wha... X?"

X's synthetic heartbeat calmed, and he mentally chided himself for worrying over a harmless dream. "You were having a nightmare," he said, and absently moved his hand to tidy his brother's rumpled hair, unable to stop himself from adding, "...Are you all right?"

"Y...yeah..." Rock said, though X privately thought he looked anything but. His eyes were glazed and not completely focused, and also...

"You're crying," X observed. Rock touched a hand to his cheek, seemingly startled at this. X watched him silently for a moment before offering, "Would you like to talk about it?"

"I... guess," Rock said carefully. X saw his eyes dart across to the bed across the room, where Blues still slept, oblivious to the voices of his brothers. X felt an odd twinge on seeing the gesture. It was obvious Rock would much rather talk to Blues about this. However, the older boy was currently dead to the world, so the task of dealing with Rock's nightmares fell to X.

Rock climbed down from the top bunk and followed X to sit on the lower one. He gazed blankly at the opposite wall, his legs swinging idly above the floor. X watched him for a few moments before clearing his throat and saying, "So... what was the dream?"

"...I saw those people at the factory," Rock said quietly. "All the ones that... we couldn't save. I couldn't move... all I could do was stand there as... as they died."

X's face softened. "I figured it might be something like that," he replied. "This is your first time seeing so many dead people in one place, isn't it?"

"It... it might be my first time seeing _any_ dead people," Rock admitted in a small voice. X raised an eyebrow. "Besides like, robot masters, you know? Wily never really wanted to actually _kill_ people before. He just basically caused property damage... to incite fear, and everything."

"...I see," said X.

"It's not just the people being killed though," Rock continued, now staring down at his feet. "I guess... I guess I'm just thinking... if it's _that easy_ for a mindless mechaniloid to kill _reploids_ then... how much easier would it be to kill humans?" Rock's hands were shaking slightly now, and he quickly folded them in his lap, trying to keep steady. "If Wily had really _tried_... how many people would be dead? Would I... would I even have been able to stop him? Is that what's going to end up happening?"

X was silent for a moment, trying to figure out what would be best to say to calm his brother. "Rock," he said finally, and the boy looked up at him. "I'm sure you could rise to any task that was set before you. If Wily had really want to hurt people... yes, you probably couldn't have saved everyone. But I know you would still have stopped him."

"But X..." Rock said, still sounding distressed. "I should be able to save _everyone. _That's myduty. I'm supposed to protect them..."

X sighed quietly, reaching out and putting his arm around his brother's shoulders. _In the end_, he thought, _Rock's just a kid_. He was a brilliant one, X freely admitted, with fighting skills that could match the best of Hunters. _But I can't help but worry about him. The way he looks at the world is so naïve... _

The root of the issue was that X saw far too much of himself in Rock. He'd once felt the same way, determined to protect everyone no matter what. It had taken a bloody war and Zero's death to completely rid himself of his rosy view of the world. He did not want—no, could not _allow_ that transformation to happen to Rock too. This wasn't Rock's world or Rock's war, and X could not permit his brother to suffer psychological distress because of catastrophes of another era's making.

Rock had lapsed into silence now, and X let him stay that way, leaving his arm around his shoulders as the boy leaned against him. He worried about his brother a lot, X admitted to himself. It wasn't just his worldview that troubled him. There was also the simple fact that Rock was not a reploid. He just wasn't built for combat in the twenty-second century and beyond. His firepower had been enhanced, and his battle abilities and special weapons were enough that he'd held his own so far, but X cringed every time a plasma bullet came near either of his brothers. One unlucky hit and it was over. Rock's armor was nothing compared to what X was used to and his systems were undeniably more delicate. X's design was the result of Dr. Light's learning from both Rock and Blues, and so was far sturdier and able to deal with damage that would be debilitating to either of the older robots.

X supposed where physiology was concerned he should be more worried about Blues, as the red robot had never even been officially upgraded for combat like Rock. But the older boy—and he could not see him as anything _but_ older, despite the fact that X had truthfully been active for several more years—seemed to know his limits far better than Rock did.

And that was the paradox that X had been struggling with internally since first finding out Rock and Blues were his brothers. How was he, the technical youngest, supposed to deal with older siblings who were not, actually, older? Blues was easy enough; it would be an insult, and incredibly unwanted, for X to try to be anything but the younger brother. Rock was a different matter entirely. He acted like a kid. He _was_ a kid.

X sighed. There really wasn't any other option, was there? Rock could call him 'little brother' all he wanted, but X knew in the end he was the one who had to take responsibility. He'd just found his family, alive and well—now he had to ensure they remained that way.

_I'll protect you, Rock, _X decided silently. _You might not like me much for it, but... I have to make sure you stay safe. _

X glanced to the side. Rock's eyes were closed—he had dozed off on his shoulder. With a small smile, X gently maneuvered him into the bed and tucked him in. The boy slept on peacefully. X gave the boy one last glance before heading to the ladder to take the abandoned top bunk.

This was the right path. He could endure his brother's annoyance with him as long as it meant he could still see that smiling face.

--------

Rock dangled his feet over the edge of his bed, idly turning the pages of a book. It was difficult to keep his focus on the novel. X had let him borrow it while they waited, but Rock's boredom was beginning to get to him, and he was now fighting back the urge to go wandering aimlessly through the Resistance Base. Looking for Alouette had crossed his mind a couple of times, but Blues had instructed him not to go far in case they received news.

Zero II had told them that the Operators were finally close to locking down Wily's precise location, and that was obviously heavy in everyone's thoughts. The news had no visible effect on Blues, but X and Zero looked more on edge than usual, anxious to be on the move. Bass was the most impatient. He paced back and forth across the bedroom like a feral animal, eyes fixed on the door. Rock tried to ignore the grumbling of the Wily-bot and glanced back down to the book.

"How much longer is this going to be?!" Bass finally demanded, his steps becoming heavier. "This is driving me nuts!"

"Be patient, little brother," Blues replied, dismissively.

"I've told you, don't call me that!" Bass hissed back. "If I wanted you as a brother, I could just get a broom, give it a scarf and a pair of sunglasses and I'd already be better off."

"Surely I'm worth a mop, at least," Blues smugly returned.

"Don't push it, or you're being reduced to a plunger."

Blues' only reply was a soft chuckle, which brought a slight smile to Rock's face. Though Bass was being irritating as usual, it was good to see someone taking it all in stride. This thought led Rock to wonder why Zero would so willingly put up with the black armored robot's antics all the time. The Light-bot debated if Bass just acted differently around Zero, or if the reploid actually genuinely found Bass amusing.

Suddenly the blonde reploid in question raised his head, turning toward the door. "Someone's coming, guys!" A few seconds later there was a cursory knock on the door before it opened, revealing Zero II.

"We have them. Come on," the resistance fighter beckoned with a motion of his hand.

Bass' eyes lit up and a smirk of anticipation formed on his face. "All right! Finally!" He dashed toward the door to follow Zero II, with Zero close behind. Blues gave a noise of agreement and followed them at a more deliberate pace.

"Here, X. You may want this back before we go," Rock said, handing the book back to his younger brother. The reploid opened one of the compartments in his boot and slipped it back inside quickly. The two youngest Light brothers then trailed behind the others.

"So, where are they?" Zero said, his voice, tinged with anticipation, reverberating off the walls.

"Ciel said she would give you the details," Zero II replied tonelessly.

"I don't care if Wily's in Skull Fortress or hiding in a cardboard box," Bass said, sounding both dismissive and probably too excited. "Once we get to him, we know what to do."

"Do we really?" Rock asked, instantly regretting that he did. But he resigned quickly to the fact that he opened his mouth, and continued. "I mean, it's not like we can throw a pair of handcuffs at him and expect him to come quietly. He usually gives up when I've beaten his final contraption, but… he has too many escape routes this time."

Bass actually didn't reply with a cutting remark, much to Rock's surprise. "Then we'll just have to blow up all of his other options," he returned, glancing back at Rock as the elevator flew up the shaft. "Shouldn't be hard." The doors to the elevator slid open as it ground to a halt. "Now then, let's go. If I have to wait any longer, I'm going to go insane."

The group quickly filed into the briefing room. There was only one Operator at the console at this point, and she looked remarkably harried trying to keep up with the current missions. Ciel was standing in the center of the room, near one of the holographic projectors.

"I'm sorry this took so long, but we finally did it," she said without preamble. "We know where those 'robot masters' came from. As I'm sure you've guessed, the signal comes from within Neo Arcadia." A hologram of Neo Arcadia shimmered to life from the projector, and the image slowly began to zoom in on a specific building. "The location is in a recently abandoned reploid factory, located in one of the southern districts of the city."

"An abandoned factory?" X asked. "Why wouldn't Neo Arcadia be protecting it?"

"It's one of the older factories," Ciel replied. "It only produced worker reploids, not military ones."

"That explains why Wily was targeting a weapons factory with Quick Man," Blues returned, folding his arms. "Well, just another reason."

Zero raised an eyebrow as the hologram rotated around a few times, giving a full view of the factory. "Is there anything we need to know about the area?"

Ciel nodded. "There are a few human residences not far from the factory, and there are occasional Pantheon foot patrols through the area. The factory itself still has power and was supposed to be retrofitted with new equipment in eight months. That's why there's no one protecting it, I believe. And it's not like Weil to waste time defending a factory that makes reploids, anyway. If it were Copy X, we could probably expect a squad or two there on guard at all times."

"So the only reason why Wily was able to set up in there was because Weil didn't care about defending it?" Rock summarized. "Lucky."

"It was luckier for him that his trans to the South Pole wasn't detected," said Zero II.

"He covered his tracks very well," Ciel replied, rubbing her temples wearily. "The reason why it was so hard to find him was he re-routed his trans-jumps throughout several points on the Neo Arcadian grid before he reached his destination." She glanced at X. "This man is very cunning, X. I've never seen someone manipulate the system so keenly with so little experience with the trans-server system… let alone see someone who could program a virus complex enough to do damage to the Neo Arcadian network. How many times have you faced him in the past?"

X shook his head. "I've never faced him before, Ciel. Wily is from Rock's time."

"I've faced him about eleven times," Rock said. "But he doesn't usually bother to be this subtle... then again, though, he has been getting sneakier with every war he starts. Mr. X, then Bass, then King…"

"We don't have time to be reminiscing, rockhead," Bass said, snapping him back to reality. "We should get moving."

"...Right," Rock replied, sheepishly.

"We'll leave Wily to you, then," Ciel said, smiling at Rock. "Good luck, all of you. ...Zero, are you going too?"

Zero II nodded curtly. "...Might as well see this through."

"All right." Ciel motioned them towards the trans-server, and the group stepped on to the platform. As she stepped back to the control console, she gave them one last look, her eyes focusing on Zero II. "...Please, be careful."

He nodded calmly. With a small smile, Ciel looked down and let her fingers dance over the dials. A soft glow surrounded the group. Moments later, the Resistance Base, the control room, and the brave young scientist melted away.

-----------

The transport landed them in a dark back alley, filled with filth and trash much like their first encounter with Neo Arcadia. The odor was pungent, and Rock instantly remembered just how much he missed home. Before he could lose himself in memories, Zero II's communicator beeped, and Rock turned to try to hear what he could.

"_Zero, you're within a block of the factory_," came Ciel's voice, sounding soft and slightly static-filled. "_You should be able to reach the target through the alleyways. Readings for Pantheon patrols are minimal. You should have no trouble. Good luck._"

"Roger. Moving out," Zero II replied, removing his fingers from the side of his helmet. "I'll take point." The warrior reached for his Z-Saber hilt and held it in front of him as he stalked forward, checking cautiously around the nearby corner. Zero followed closely behind, while X took the anchor position.

Rock's ears picked up the ambience of the street nearby. He could hear the distant voices of a small crowd and the occasional vehicle passing by. However, the further they moved, the more muted the sound became. Rock guessed the factory was on a side street that was rarely traveled.

A few tense, silent moments passed before they reached the loading docks of the factory. The chain link fence that normally blocked the alleyway had been cast aside, like it had been cut open with a beam saber. Zero turned back to X.

"Sigma?" he whispered.

"Maybe," X returned, equally quiet.

"Keep moving," Zero II shot back. He motioned for the group to follow, and approached the aluminum shutters that covered the large entrance to the loading area. The red reploid reached for the handle to check if the shutter was latched. A light tug moved it a few inches upward.

Zero II turned back to the rest of the team, nodding slightly, and the others quickly got the message and pointed their weapons forward. With a sharp jerk, Zero II sent the shutter flying open, and immediately reached for his Z-Buster.

Their caution was unwarranted. The docks were empty, save for a few abandoned pallets, and some old, rundown loading equipment. The walls were bare concrete, and the power was out. Only the sparse sunlight filtering through the skyscrapers around the factory provided illumination inside the building. Rock considered flipping his vision mode to low-light, but decided against it. There was still too much light pollution around to make it worthwhile.

"Looks like no one's home," Blues smugly muttered. "Guess they won't mind us dropping in."

Zero II ignored the Light-bot's remark and entered the room, walking up to the double-doors leading deeper into the factory. He pressed himself against the wall beside it, and motioned for the others to do the same. After a moment, Zero II pushed open the door and led first with his buster.

The hallway beyond was dimly lit; only a few of the overhead emergency lights were active. The corridor was not very wide, but there were several doors along the path, before the hall split into a four way intersection. The walls and floor were bare. Cinderblock walls met a tile floor in a space that reeked of Neo Arcadian architecture: functionality over any sort of aesthetics.

"Looks like these were labs at one point," X remarked quietly, glancing into one of the doors they passed.

Rock looked inside as well, realizing X was probably right. In this lab, there were several work station tables and countertops, as well as a few shoddy looking steel-frame bookcases. However, the tables and walls were completely bare; discolorations on the walls indicated there had once been machinery near the workstations, but whatever it was had been stripped.

"Zero II?" Rock asked. "Ciel said this place was closed… but..." He glanced at the bare places. There was debris on the countertops, paint chips that had peeled off the walls when whatever had once been there had been removed. They were not yet dulled by the dust that covered everything else. In fact, now that Rock looked, there were signs of fresh stirring of that dust... "It looks like it was done… recently."

Blues gave his brother an appraising look, his smirk telling Rock he'd noticed the exact same thing. "Looks like we're on the right track."

"There's a fork up ahead," Zero said, looking further up the corridor. Another corridor intersected horizontally with the one they were currently traveling. "Let's split up there and cover more ground."

"We'll split into teams of two," Zero II agreed. "Rock, you and Blues check the left wing. Zero, you and Bass go straight, and X and I will take the right."

"Meet back here in ten minutes," X added. "If there's trouble, just do something to alert the rest of us."

"Right, you got it!" Rock returned, moving to Blues' side. "Let's move on."

--------

"Ugh, have you found anything, Zero?" Bass grunted, peering into a door, only to find out it was an abandoned broom closet that smelled of decade-old cleaning supplies. It was at this point Bass began to question why he even turned his olfactory senses back on during this era.

"Not a damn thing. But that in itself could be a clue…" Zero replied, from across the hallway. "Rock was right. Everything of value in this place was stripped… I've found some old, useless business files… but nothing else. No notes, no diagrams, hell, not even a left behind screwdriver."

Bass shrugged. "Could be that the Neo Arcadians took everything of value when they put this place down."

Zero shook his head. "Not likely, they left all these business files around, after all…"

"Who the hell knows?" Bass snorted. "If Wily was here, he's probably long gone by now."

"Don't give up hope yet, just keep at it," Zero said, heading for the doorway. His blonde hair stirred up dust as it swished through the air. I'm going to go check a couple of labs back down the hallway that we missed."

Bass folded his arms. "There's not going to be anything there."

"Yeah, but we have to check," Zero replied. "You know that X would never let us hear the end of it if we did our job halfway. I'm sure you don't want to hear him griping at me any more than I do." With a dismissing wave, Zero turned on his heels and paced back up the hall, his boots lightly pinging against the concrete floor.

"Got me there," Bass admitted to no one in particular. He was pretty sure Zero hadn't heard him say that, but it really didn't matter. With a shrug, he turned about and gave another quick glance down the hall. At the end was a bend to the right. The ebony-clad robot decided it would probably be wise to check down there next. He armed and primed his Bass Buster as he approached the bend. Before he took the corner, he peeked around. A set of open double doors greeted him, and beyond looked like the remains of the main lab.

However, what really caught the robot's eye were the black blast marks along the walls, and the chunks of concrete lying on the floor between the corner and the door. A few scorch marks were on the wall across from Bass, but the damage in the hallway was much greater. All the marks looked strangely fresh...

The Wily-bot frowned deeply, then attempted to quietly slip around the corner. His caution got the better of him. As he tried to carefully step over the debris on the floor, he mis-stepped on a large piece of loose concrete and the side of his boot glanced against a small pile of rubble. Several pieces of shattered masonry clattered rather noisily to the ground. Bass resisted the urge to curse and raised his buster higher, continuing cautiously toward the door …

...and nearly ran headlong into a large, imposing figure who suddenly barged through the double doors.

Both Bass and the newcomer jumped and immediately pointed their weapons at each other. It took Bass only a second to realize that this was someone he'd never met before. The male reploid was about the same height as Bass, but he was far more imposing looking. Both of the massive, red-painted cannons he wore on his arms were pointed directly at Bass's chest.

"Who the hell are you?!" the reploid demanded loudly.

"Who the hell are _you?!_" Bass shot back, his voice carrying along the walls. He tightened his grip on his Bass Buster.

The man was wearing typical 22XX armor; red with a white jumpsuit. Notable on his helmet were two spikes shooting up from the crown of his helmet. Slashes of red warpaint on his cheeks added fuel to his angry expression. "I asked first," he returned, gritting his teeth. Bass could tell he was putting pressure on the triggers of his arm cannons.

"Go ahead and try to shoot me. You won't like the outcome." Bass snarled back.

"Tough guy, huh?! I love a good challenge! Prepare your—"

"What is going on?" A sharp male voice cut in.

Bass's eyes widened as another figure materialized from the shadows beyond the opened door. The second reploid's armor was bright green, his helmet adorned with large wing-like protrusions. "Who is this?" the man asked, cool green eyes shifting from Bass' face to the face of the first newcomer.

"Someone who's lookin' for a fight, that's who!" the red-armored man shot back.

"Really, now," the green reploid replied, moving forward to stand beside what was apparently his comrade. Bass took a step backward as he saw the newcomer reach behind him for what looked like a beam-saber hilt. The green reploid's eyes locked onto his, and Bass could swear he saw a glimmer of curiosity, though his face remained stern.

"So, you want to start something too, huh?" Bass muttered, preparing to dig himself in for a nasty fight. Where the hell was Zero when you needed him? "Two on one, huh? I can take those odds."

"Who sad anything about two?" asked a higher voice from behind the other two, amusement in her tone. A third reploid, obviously female and clothed in blue armor, moved out to stand beside the green one. She carried a long spear in her right hand, and gave the weapon a quick spin before pointing it at Bass.

Bass cursed inwardly. If the outlook wasn't good before, it was outright bleak now. He took another step back as the three reploids slowly converged on him, pressing down on the trigger of his buster...

"Always getting yourself into trouble without me around, aren't you?" Zero's voice shot down the hallway, his tone somewhere between exasperation and eager for a fight. The sound of dash thrusters drew closer, and Zero halted at his brother's side, beam saber already in hand.

"Great timing," Bass sighed.

"Hey, it's what I do," Zero replied, grinning. Then his eyes hardened as he focused his gaze at the three strangers. "Who are these people, anyway?"

There was a pause. All three reploids were now looking at Zero like he was an alien. Zero frowned. "...What? I can understand the lady being stunned speechless, but when it's guys, it's just creepy."

The green reploid's eyes narrowed, but he seemed to ignore the comment. "…An interesting development," he said. "Zero, I presume?"

"See you've heard of me," Zero replied. He leveled the beam saber at the man. "Now, we've got some questions, starting with who are you and what are you doing here?"

"We'll be asking the questions here," the blue reploid replied, raising her spear slightly.

The red reploid shifted his cannons so one was aimed at each of his opponents. "Or did you forget we still have you outnumbered and outgunned?"

"We didn't forget about outnumbered, but outgunned? You'd need a lot more than you three to take us down," Bass snapped back.

"If it's a fight you want, we'll oblige," the green-armored man replied, drawing the saber hilt and igniting a pink-colored beam dagger.

"That won't be necessary," came a familiar voice from the corridor behind the three strangers.

The three immediately glanced over their shoulders while keeping their weapons locked on Bass and Zero. A moment later, Blues sauntered into view from inside the main lab. He drew closer at a leisurely pace, folding his arms over his chest. "Bass, Zero. Don't tell me you two were just about ready to pick a fight."

"He started it," Bass said, pointing at Zero.

"Yes, I'm sure he did," Blues returned, sarcasm dripping from his tone.

"And who are you supposed to be?" The red-armored stranger asked, keeping his guns pointed at Bass and Zero but turning sideways so his back was to the corridor wall. "And why don't you want to fight?"

"It'd be pointless," Blues simply replied.

"You didn't answer the first question," the female stated, now leveling her spear towards Blues. "Who are you?"

Blues smirked, and put a hand to his waist. "Give me your names, and I'll give you mine."

"...such brilliant wit from our hero in red," Bass muttered. Zero gave him an odd look, but decided to ignore it. Blues' smirk broadened a little.

The three reploids exchanged glances. "You don't know who we are?" asked the woman. "You've never heard of us?"

"Should I have?" Blues coolly asked. This earned a scoff from the green reploid, though the red and blue warriors looked slightly bemused by his attitude. Blues continued to walk forward, directly through the middle of the group of strangers. All three tensed, but Blues ignored them completely. He slipped past the green-armored man and approached Bass. "Put that away," he said, putting a hand on the Wily-bot's buster arm and pushing it towards the ground. Bass did as he was told, though he shot Blues a growl and an evil glare the older robot chose to ignore. Turning back to the newcomers, Blues continued speaking. "I don't have any intention of fighting with you three, especially without knowing who you are."

The green reploid's expression didn't change, though the blue reploid approached him. She tapped the arm he was holding his lit beam saber in lightly. He seemed oblivious to the action, which earned a roll of her eyes.

"Fine then, I'll bite," she said, resting one end of her spear on the floor, allowing it to point directly upward. "I'm Leviathan, former general of Neo Arcadia."

Following Leviathan's lead, the red reploid continued. "And I'm Fefnir, also a former general and Guardian of Neo Arcadia."

The green reploid glanced between his two companions, a tinge of annoyance in his eyes. He didn't deactivate his weapon or ease his stance. "Leviathan, Fefnir. I hear more of them coming. Be ready!"

Sure enough, a moment later Rock, Zero II, and X appeared from inside the main laboratory behind the three strangers. Rock was looking very annoyed. "Blues, you're not supposed to run off and leave me behind!" he said, glaring at his brother.

"Sorry, Rock," Blues said, not sounding very apologetic.

"It's… Zero!" Fefnir shouted, and Rock blinked as he finally noticed the three reploids. "...another Zero?" Fefnir's gazed swiveled from Zero II back to Zero. "…wait, this is confusing..."

"…Fefnir, take a look who's standing right _next_ to Zero," Leviathan stated, trying to keep her voice level, though it remained a little uneven.

"…Master X," the green-armored reploid stated, ignoring his companions and locking eyes with the Light-bot. "…So you've come."

X looked completely baffled. "Do I know you?"

"…so you don't recognize us, then," the man replied. Both his companions looked confused, but his own face betrayed no emotion.

"Zero, who are these three?" X glanced over to Zero II, who frowned slightly.

Zero II's blue eyes were hardened like steel. "Those… are the Three Guardians of X. …Your guardians and generals. The red one is Fefnir, who used to lead the Neo Arcadian armies into combat. The woman is Leviathan, former head of the Marine forces, and… the green one is Harpuia, commander of the airborne divisions. …Harpuia's the leader."

"Well, such a nice introduction, Zero. I'm flattered you spoke so kindly about us," Leviathan teased, her tone playful but with an unmistakably aggressive edge.

"So they're the ones that I've heard about," X replied. "What are you all doing here?"

"I want to know what you're doing here first, Master X," Harpuia shot back. "The dead are not supposed to walk among the living."

X frowned, but Zero cut in before he could say anything. "Hey X, you know... their colors are off, but they look a lot like you. They're like your groupies!"

"Zero..." X sighed.

Harpuia exchanged a confused glance with Leviathan. "Master X, surely you remember we were built in your image to help serve you better. We're based directly on your plans." He raised an eyebrow as he spoke. X's expression reflected bewilderment, further confounding the green reploid.

"Wait just a second!" Fefnir piped up. "Master X just said it. That other weird guy there is Zero! But… there can't be two Zeroes at once, can there?!"

"No, there can't be," Leviathan shook her head. "It's impossible."

"I know, I know," Zero said casually, with a disarming grin. "I'm so devilishly handsome, it's positively mind-blowing. Having two of me? I don't know how the universe can take it!" This earned a roll of the eyes from his future counterpart. X looked annoyed that he was too far away to hit Zero and shut him up.

"Master X," Harpuia said, icy voice cutting through the banter. "Start explaining yourself."

"I don't think you're in any position to demand explanations!" Bass shot back.

"Bass, please," Blues said calmly. "That's not going to get us anywhere."

"Yes," Harpuia returned. "If you really are Master X, you have nothing to fear from us. Just explain what you are doing here… and how you're even alive to begin with."

X sighed and put a hand to a chin. "I don't even know where to begin…"

Rock glanced up at X, who was obviously having an internal battle with himself as to wondering how much and just what he could safely say. The young robot swallowed a lump of tension in his throat, and spoke. "Um, can I say something here?"

Fefnir cocked his head slightly, looking over at Rock as though it was the first time he had even noticed him. "Ha! The kid there wants in on our conversation! Tell me, then, what could you possibly add?"

Rock frowned slightly. "I would appreciate it if you wouldn't call me 'kid' without even knowing who I am." X looked down at Rock, almost in shock at the firmness of the boy's tone. "We're here looking for a Maverick. His name is Sigma."

"Sigma?" Harpuia repeated.

"You've heard of him, then," X stated.

"Yes, but only briefly…" said Harpuia slowly, "and only in the history logs."

"You're hunting a reploid that existed decades ago?" Leviathan asked, looking contemptuous.

"We traced him and his men here," Zero II said flatly.

"Sigma is a tall reploid, bald, and wields a beam saber. He was also in the company of a human," Rock continued. "The human is an old man, balding, with gray hair and a large moustache. He has a German accent. They were probably accompanied by two or three other battle reploids."

"…Interesting," Harpuia stated, with rather more hesitation than was necessary. "...Though that doesn't explain where Master X came from. Or who you are."

"His name is Rock," Zero II said. Harpuia did not seem impressed. "And judging by your reaction, I'd say you've seen something. What were you doing here snooping around and what did you see?"

Harpuia snorted. "Fine then. …Master X." He turned to X, obviously not wanting to directly answer Zero II. "We saw the reploid and human described. They were in the laboratory just beyond this room. They seemed to be leaving with lots of crates. …They disappeared into what looked like a swirling portal. And we have no idea where they teleported to."

"It was unlike any Trans-Server I'd ever seen," Leviathan agreed. "It was like… the fabric of reality bent around this portal. I couldn't look directly at it. The old man and Sigma disappeared through it almost right away."

"That doesn't explain the damage in the hallway," Zero II sharply stated.

"There were two reploids with them," Fefnir said. "One was very fast, and the other shot ice everywhere. They spotted us when we walked into the room and attacked us. We fought with them briefly, but they pushed us back into that hallway. They looked… primitive, but man, did they pack a punch."

"Eventually they fled too, and the portal shut behind them," Harpuia finished. "I'm reasonably sure that was not a trans-server. …What do you all know about this?" There was no answer. "I assume they are not with the Resistance." After a moment longer of silence, the green general frowned sharply. "Not going to answer?"

"That was Sigma, all right," X stated. "And that portal you saw… that's a complicated matter." The Hunter paused, then took a deep breath. "…And it has something to do with why I'm here right now." He glanced over at the others.

Blues shrugged. "May as well tell them, X. At this point, they've seen enough…"

X sighed resignedly. "Harpuia," he sad slowly, and locked eyes with the green-armored man. "The human and reploid you saw were not from this time period. Sigma is over one hundred years old, and he doesn't exist in this day and age."

"Doesn't exist?" Fefnir demanded. "But we just _saw_ him. We rumbled with his flunkies!"

"I said in _this _day," X clarified. "He existed in the past. And the human you saw is Dr. Albert Wily, a roboticist from two hundred years ago."

Harpuia's expression darkened and his eyes narrowed sharply. "That's impossible. _No_ human could live that long. Even Dr. Weil has only been alive for little more than a century, and that was under special circumstances. And what about you?! You've still not answered my question! Or any of you!"

"Seriously, why are there two Zeroes? And what's with the guy with fins for a helmet, the guy with the glasses, and the kid?!" Fefnir continued, tightening his hands around the grips of his weapons.

"Hey, I told you, don't call me a kid. I'm a couple hundred years older than you, you know!" Rock shot back. He watched as the facial expressions of the Guardians twist into surprise and confusion again, and they all paled.

Bass sighed. "Don't you get it yet? Tell me, how could X exist here? The Copy X's in this era were both destroyed."

"And the data for creating another one is gone," Zero II added quietly.

"What are you implying, Zero?" Harpuia said sharply. "The Original X's body was destroyed, and his Cyber Elf form has faded away."

X sighed again. "The quickest answer to your questions is… all of our group here, except the Zero you know, are from at least one hundred years in the past. Rock, Blues, and Bass come from the dawn of robotics, in 20XX. Zero and I are from 21XX, after the Eighth Maverick War."

The three Guardians stared at the group. "...You've gotta be kidding," Leviathan said finally.

"That portal you saw Sigma and Wily disappear through was a temporal distortion," Blues stated. "A time portal. That's why they disappeared and couldn't be tracked on any sensors."

Harpuia was silent. The other two glanced at him, apparently at a loss for what to do.

"Well, we've answered your questions," Zero said. "Now answer ours. Why were you three here in the first place?"

There was no response. Zero began to look annoyed, but Blues folded his arms. "It doesn't matter. I know why they were here."

"...Oh?" said Harpuia.

Blues shrugged. "This place isn't exactly a thoroughfare, so I assume you found this location by tracking Wily's trans-server movements… meaning you knew something was up long before you came here. And I'd wager you also knew something about what was in those crates they took, too."

Leviathan smiled impishly. "Well, aren't you the clever one?"

"…We saw you all on the security systems in the weapons factory in Neo Arcadia," Harpuia stated. "We wanted to know if the Resistance was responsible for the attacks on Neo Arcadia. It was surprising that you were not." He folded his arms. "But the fact is, this Sigma has taken a significant quantity of weapons from Neo Arcadia. Not to mention that he's stripped this factory clean of materials and components. When we arrived, a few mechaniloids were removing the last of the machinery from the labs. This makes Sigma a danger to the humans of Neo Arcadia."

"And it sounds like he escaped back in time," X stated.

"_If_ that's what he did," Harpuia replied. "What proof do we have to trust you're telling the truth, Master X? That he… _and _you are really from the past?"

X's expression softened. "…I… don't have any proof, Harpuia. I only have my word of honor."

The green general closed his eyes, and turned his back to the team. Emerald eyes danced between his two compatriots, as though Harpuia was speaking to them telepathically. A terse sigh from the green general broke the silence, and he slipped his deactivated saber back in its holster. "All right, Master X."

"You're going to believe him?" Fefnir quietly asked, turning to Harpuia.

"He… is different than the others," he replied. "I can see it in his eyes. I do not believe he is deceiving us."

"Hmm, I agree," said Leviathan. She lifted her spear from the ground and held it idly at her side. "But who is this Dr. Wily? I've never heard of him before."

"Dr. Wily is one of the most gifted roboticists of all time," Rock replied. "But… he went crazy, and uses his talents and robots to try to conquer the world. After he found out about time travel, he's been using it to get future weaponry for another attempt to take over the world." Rock sighed. "To put it simply, Wily is not a nice man at all. He's even somehow managed to get Sigma to follow him, and that puts the entire timeline at serious risk."

The blue general nodded slowly. "So, Harpy? What do we do now?"

Harpuia did not immediately respond. He stood still, silent for several moments. It was as though he was completely distant to the world for those few seconds. But then, quickly and firmly, he spun around and spoke in a firm, confident tone. "…We let Master X take care of his business."

"Huh?" Fefnir asked, confused.

"It's obvious that it isn't our place to meddle," Harpuia replied. "We will leave it all to him. Fefnir, Leviathan. We're leaving, and we saw nothing here."

"I don't even get to rumble with Zero for a few minutes first?" Fefnir dejectedly asked.

"You can't fight what wasn't here, Fefnir," Harpuia said evenly.

Fefnir grumbled. "Aww, man..."

"Well, I guess that means goodbye again, Zero," Leviathan smiled, her imp-like tone returning. "A pity we weren't able to fight, but there's always next time. And I'm looking forward to it!"

"I'll bet you are," Zero II said flatly, not sounding at all enthused.

Harpuia turned to his teammates, and gave one last glance over his shoulder at X. "Let's go," he ordered. Moments later, he disappeared into a column of white trans-server light. His two allies quickly vanished in the same fashion, leaving the others alone in the factory.

Rock took a deep breath, glancing around the circle of his companions. "...Well, that was interesting..."

"…I guess this means you found what you were looking for," Zero II stated. "What do you intend to do now?"

"We have to follow them," X said decisively. "We can't let Sigma and Wily get any farther ahead of us. We're catching up with them, if this was any indication… sounds like we missed them by a matter of minutes."

"So you're returning to your own time," Zero II returned.

"Looks like it," Bass replied. "But the question is, which time?"

"I think 20XX would be best," Blues replied. "Dr. Light is probably wondering about us by now. We can stop there and reconnoiter."

X nodded. "All right. That's fine with me."

"Hey," Rock said, his eyes brightened suddenly. "Zero II… I had an idea. Would you like to come with us?"

"No," Zero II said immediately, shaking his head. Rock's face fell slightly. "I doubt I'd be of any help to you. Besides, Ciel and the Resistance need me here. I can't leave."

"We understand," Blues returned, putting a hand on Rock's shoulder. "You have to keep them safe. Nothing wrong with that."

Zero took this time to enter the conversation. "Besides… wouldn't two of me traveling through time cause it to break, or something?"

"Maybe. So if we end up at the end of time by mistake, it's on your head, Zero," Blues answered.

Silence hung in the air briefly. "…I guess we'd better get going," X said. "Take care of everyone, Zero II. …It was great to meet you."

"Likewise, X," he replied.

Zero stared at his counterpart for a moment. Then he stepped forward, offering his hand. "Keep the future safe for us, all right?" he said quietly. "I know you can do it."

Zero II's blue eyes locked onto his twin's. Then he took the hand, a slight smile flashing across his face as he shook it. "...Thanks." X hid his own smile, knowing that in some strange fashion, the two had just reconciled their differences.

"I'll miss you, Zero," Rock said, darting forward and giving the reploid a hug, which Zero II looked too shocked to return. "Say goodbye to Ciel and Alouette for me, all right?"

"And stay out of trouble," Blues added, tugging gently at Rock's arm to get him to let go.

Zero II nodded. "I will."

Bass folded his arms, and grunted. "Look, goodbyes aren't my style. Just… don't die. …And good luck with fighting that Weil guy. Probably won't see you again, but you'd better win. I don't want the farther future to be even more of a mess…"

"Don't worry about it," Zero II replied.

"Well, we'd… best be off," X said, walking toward the center of the room, away from Zero II. The others quickly followed suit. "Take care again, Zero. And do be careful."

The red warrior gave a single nod in response. X raised the time machine, and Zero II watched as the five robots from the past disappeared from view in a torrent of white and gray energy.

Zero II stood alone in the empty warehouse, silent except for a distant drip of water from a leaking pipe somewhere in the building. With a small sigh, he switched on his communicator. "Ciel? I need a trans back to Resistance base." He paused as he listened to the voice in his helmet. "...Yes, just me. The others… have gone home."

The red reploid folded his arms gently over his chest. A strange feeling blew through his mind like an unsettling wind. He had only known them a short time, but… oddly, he couldn't help but feel like it was longer than it was. Still... he couldn't help but be glad they'd left. It left him free to attend to matters at hand… and if recent intelligence was correct, there'd be a lot of them soon enough. Closing his eyes, the red reploid felt the trans-server pull him from the abandoned factory to send him home as well.

They'd gone to protect their time, and now he had to protect his. That was his promise to Ciel, to Rock, to X... and to himself.

* * *


End file.
